Democratic presidential candidate former Vice President Joe Biden speaks at a primary election night campaign rally Tuesday, March 3, 2020, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)

I’m not normally one to make predictions. But now that the race for the Democratic presidential nomination is a two-person contest (sorry Tulsi), my crystal ball – and every other indication available – tells me that former Vice President Joe Biden will defeat Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and secure the Democratic nomination.

Only a few months ago, Biden’s chances of being the choice of the Democratic Party seemed rather dismal, but his victories in the South Carolina primaries and during Super Tuesday have placed him in a favorable position.

A recent Reuters-Ipsos poll showed that the former vice president has a significant lead over the senator. I revealed that 45% of registered Democrats are supporting Biden while only 32% are choosing Sanders. These results demonstrate a dramatic turnaround among Democratic voters. Only nine days ago, Sanders led Biden by 11 points.

The survey also showed that 54% of participants felt that Biden has the best chance of beating President Trump in November. A mere 25% believed the same about Sanders.

As Biden’s star has once again risen, his campaign is preparing a major media offensive to solidify his standing. On Saturday, the candidate launched a 12$ million ad buy that was made possible by a surge in his campaign fundraising efforts after his recent victories. On Friday, he announced that they had raised $22 million over the past week.

The Biden campaign will also spend $8 million on television ads while the remainder will be allocated for digital and radio platforms. His advertising will focus primarily on Missouri, Florida, Mississippi, Michigan, Illinois, and Ohio.

It seems that President Trump also recognizes the likelihood that he will be facing Biden for the presidency in 2020. His team has already begun preparing for the contest. After the former vice president’s wins on Super Tuesday, Trump expressed surprise at his comeback. During a Pennsylvania town hall, he told Fox News, “He looks like he’s going to be a candidate and I just say, ‘How did that happen?’”

The fact that the Trump campaign has already started focusing their efforts on discrediting Biden shows that they have identified him as their eventual opponent. The campaign is criticizing the questionable activities of Hunter Biden, the son of the former vice president. Trump’s team is also casting Biden as someone who is mentally unfit to occupy the Oval Office. Of course, Biden does a great job of this himself, but some extra help from the Trump campaign couldn’t hurt, right?

The Hill reported that people close to the campaign have expressed concern over the shift in the Democratic battlefield. Trump’s associates seem to believe that Sanders would have been an easier opponent to defeat and they are likely concerned that it could make swing states more difficult to win. Someone who is close to the Trump campaign told The Hill, “It’s a different race with Joe Biden.”

It is a different race with Biden – and he will certainly be harder to beat than Sanders. Despite his penchant for making silly gaffes, his creepy hair smelling habit, and his age, Biden could still present a challenge for President Trump. On the left, he is seen as less radical than Sanders, and recent electoral events indicate that the progressive faction of the Democratic Party is losing to the establishment – for now.

Along with moderate voters, Biden appeals to a key demographic that President Trump is courting: Black voters. It was black Americans who brought about Biden’s surprising comeback in South Carolina, and they were instrumental in propelling him to success on Super Tuesday.

On the other hand, Trump has managed to make some key achievements during his first year with the economy, which is one of the most important issues for American voters. Moreover, President Trump possesses a quality that other GOP candidates have lacked: The willingness and the ability to fight as dirty as the left.

There is no doubt that Trump will ruthlessly fixate Biden’s many rhetorical missteps and the cloud of corruption that surrounds the former vice president and his son. Biden does not appear to have the wherewithal and the mental acuity to counter the tongue lashing that Trump is sure to deliver. But either way, it should be an entertaining showdown.

Follow me on Twitter: @JeffOnTheRight