Exactly one year out from Inauguration Day, who will be on the General Election ballot is starting to become more clear.

Former President Donald Trump, barring anything out of the ordinary happening, appears to be running away with the Republican nomination to face President Joe Biden.

But, who exactly will be taking the oath of office in one year is still very much in the air, and there are a lot of key factors playing a part in just how that will all shape up.

The Economy 

Poll after poll shows that one of the top issues on Americans’ minds going into this upcoming election is the economy, and currently, the economy is not doing too well, with high inflation and rising interest rates. 

Biden and Trump have both made the economy a focal point of their campaigns. Biden has been touting the economy under his leadership, coining it “Bidennomics,” whereas Trump has also focused on the economy under Biden but from a different perspective. Trump has attacked Biden for gas prices being high and the price of groceries going up.

Investigations 

Both Trump and Biden are facing investigations that could very well upend the 2024 Election. 

Trump is facing three major indictments, one for keeping classified documents from his time as president at his residence, another for his role in the January 6 attack on the Capitol, and one in Georgia for his role in trying to subvert the election results there.

Biden, on the other hand, is the subject of an impeachment inquiry by the House Oversight and Judiciary Committees, which are looking into whether or not he used his position as vice president to influence his family business dealings and whether or not he was part of a bribery scheme by a Ukrainian energy company. Neither committee has produced concrete evidence to prove any of the allegations.

Border 

The border is shaping up as a major issue for Democrats, including Biden, in the upcoming election. A record number of illegal immigrants continue to cross the southern border, overwhelming border patrol and local authorities across the country.

While Biden and Democrats are scrambling to do something to fix the problem, Republicans have latched onto this issue as one of their major knocks against Democrats, claiming they have completely abdicated responsibility on the border and created the crisis.

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Age

Both Biden and Trump are old, with the former president being 77 and Biden being 81, and their opponents have seized on this, claiming it’s time for new leadership that better understands the current generation.

While both have significant leads in their respective primaries, their opponents are still using their age as a way to differentiate themselves from the frontrunners. This might prove unsuccessful in the primary, but it could lead to voter apathy in the general as voters might not feel enthusiastic about their choices on the ballot.