After US President Joe Biden withdrew from the presidential race, Democrats are facing turbulent weeks. The work that now needs to be done is “unprecedented,” but clear, according to party leadership. In the coming days, “a transparent and orderly process” will be set in motion to determine a Republican nominee as a united party. Donald Trump November could beat.
The representatives are aware of their responsibility to quickly present a candidate to the American people.
What happens now?
Biden had already won his parties’ internal primaries and secured the necessary delegate votes for the nominating party conference, which will take place in Chicago, Illinois, from August 19 to 22. The 81-year-old was originally supposed to be officially elected as the presidential candidate there. After his withdrawal from the race, the delegates in Chicago are no longer bound by the outcome of the primaries in their state, but are free to make their own decision.
So close to the election, however, it is unlikely that Democrats will have any interest in launching an open competition among replacement candidates and making the party convention the venue for a voting drama. It is more likely that they will try to rally the party behind a new leader in advance.
Who could that be?
Biden’s Vice President Kamala Harris. Immediately after the announcement After withdrawing, Biden nominated his replacement as a replacement candidate for the November election.
Harris praised Biden’s resignation as a “patriotic” decision and said she would win the Democratic presidential nomination and defeat Donald Trump. Harris said Sunday she was “honored by the president’s support.” “My intention is to earn and win this nomination,” Harris stressed.
Harris is seen as Biden’s natural successor. She is the first woman and the first Black person to be sworn in as U.S. vice president. Her father emigrated from Jamaica to study economics. Her mother, a cancer researcher and civil rights activist, was from India. Democrats would need a good reason to simply ignore Harris. She is also known for her role, having already cleared all the checks for the White House and likely being able to gain access to Biden’s campaign apparatus and probably also fundraise because she is already part of Biden’s re-election campaign as a surrogate. Now she needs to find a running mate to support her.
The 59-year-old has long been seen as pale in her position and has struggled with poor poll numbers. Given Biden’s hung-up game, she has recently gained traction. Biden himself has publicly and insultingly praised Harris in recent days.
Are there alternatives to Harris?
Besides Harris, the most mentioned names recently were Gavin Newsom and Gretchen Whitmer. Newsom (56) is governor of the powerful state of California. He has made a name for himself nationally and has worked intensively on his profile, most recently with much-praised foreign trips.
Whitmer (52) is the governor of Michigan and has long been considered a rising force within the party. Before the 2020 elections, Biden considered her as his running mate. According to American media, both have made it clear internally that they are not available as a possible replacement for Harris.
Biden is the first president in U.S. history to withdraw from the race due to concerns about his mental and physical fitness. Only a few presidents before him have retired after just one term, the most recent being Lyndon Johnson in 1968.