Joe Biden elected president of ASWU

Graphic by Alyssa Diggdon.

Former U.S. President Joe Biden has been elected president of the Associated Students of Willamette University (ASWU) in a competitive race against candidates he deemed “too young to lead a student body.”

Biden had previously served two terms as vice president of the United States under the Obama administration and one as president. “My political career is not over. My constituents have proven they still value me as a leader,” Biden told The Collegian in an exclusive interview shortly after results were announced. 

His political comeback comes as a surprise to many after he stepped out of the running for the 2024 U.S. presidential election against Donald Trump and announced his retirement from politics. “I was not going to run, but my dear friend Lisa called me and said, ‘Joe, please consider an ASWU run,’” he said, referring to Associate Dean of Students Lisa Holliday. “And I sure did.”

“Being ASWU president is more fun anyway. At least the Senate will listen to what I have to say,” Biden said. When asked about whether he advocates for raising student fees, he responded, “What’s that?” before confusingly changing topics. “Willamette is a university that can be defined in a single word. Iwa … safthjsn … sdfasfdf … sigh thank you,” he said.

Before his surprising comeback, exit polls had previously estimated that Stevie Bergstrom (’26), the current ASWU treasurer, was the projected winner with a narrow lead. “My fellow Bearcats, it is with bitter feelings that I announce my concession to Joe Biden as president of ASWU. It was a pleasure to serve as treasurer and to show my best on the campaign trail,” Bergstrom said in her — much more coherent — concession speech. 

This election, like others in the past, was not without scandals. Shortly after results were announced, users on social media speculated that campus celebrity Blitz the Bearcat may have been the tiebreaking vote between Biden and Bergstrom, raising questions about why he is allowed to vote in ASWU elections despite not paying tuition. When reached on his personal phone, Blitz declined to comment.

Holliday had initially tapped former U.S. President Jimmy Carter to run for ASWU president shortly before his death, an investigation by The Collegian revealed in January. “Jimmy, it’s either you or Sleepy Joe — please consider it,” internal communications from Holliday to Carter show. Her team released a statement Monday denying any interference with ASWU elections and claimed that Biden ran “on his own accord.”

“It’s a new era for Willamette. It was about time they handed over the power to experienced folks like me,” Biden said in an email. 

Editor’s Note: Biden was scheduled for a second in-person interview with The Collegian but had to cancel it after tripping on the steps to his airplane.