‘SNL' introduces its 2024 presidential election cast
Originally appeared on E! Online
Live from New York, it's the cast of the 2024 election.
With just over a month to go until former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris face off to try to win the presidential vote, " Saturday Night Live " returned Sept. 28 for its 50th season. The show kicked things off with a political cold open sketch featuring some familiar faces on the campaign trail.
Former cast member Maya Rudolph portrayed Harris — a role she originated in 2019 — while comedian Jim Gaffigan made his first appearance on "SNL" playing the Democratic candidate's running mate, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz.
"What can I say? I got that BDE — big dad energy," he said in character. "See what I did there? You get it?"
Rudolph's Harris joked, "I got it. I didn't want it, but I got it."
Entertainment NewsAndy Samberg — also an " SNL" alum who costarred with Maya for a few years on the show — played the Vice President's husband , Doug Emhoff.
"We miss Joe Biden, folks," Johnson's Trump said. "What we wouldn't give to have him stand next to me and be old. We had this in the bag, but then they did a switcheroo and they swapped out Biden with Kamala. And now everything is chaos. They're eating the dogs. They're eating the cats. They're taking your pets, and they're doing freak offs."
Fellow former "SNL" cast member Dana Carvey returned to the series to play President Joe Biden , who dropped out of the 2024 presidential race in July. The "Wayne's World" actor, who famously portrayed former President George H.W. Bush on the NBC sketch comedy series in the '80s and '90s, had debuted his impression of Biden on "The Late Show With Stephen Colbert" in 2021.
"I just want to say thank you, Joe Biden. Thank you for putting country first and for handing over the reins," Maya's Rudolph told Carvey's Biden on "SNL", to which he responded, "I didn't want to. They made me."
