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How will democrats replace Biden at the top of the presidential ticket?-LIST

21 July 2024 23:33 (UTC +04:00)

Now that President Biden has withdrawn from the presidential race, the question facing the Democratic Party is no longer whether he can be replaced at the top of the ticket. It is how to do it, APA reports citing New York Times.

The process is complicated and opens the door to political upheaval between now and August, when Democratic delegates will gather at their convention to vote for a nominee.

Mr. Biden has the power to release all the pledged delegates he accumulated. When he does so, those delegates will be free to vote for whomever they choose. That could lead to an open convention, a rarity in modern American politics.

The prospect raises many questions.

Now what?

There is no clear answer. But there appears to be two ways this can go, based on interviews with Democratic Party leaders and strategists

First, the party could rally around Kamala Harris, the vice president, as a unifying force during a time of crisis. That would be the easiest road to take. She has been vetted and is well-known among Democrats. She has run a national campaign before. And she could take over the Biden-Harris campaign apparatus and bank account.

Some Democrats have argued that anointing a candidate is risky, and say that the party would be better off with a competition and a more democratic selection process. That would require another candidate to get in the race. If that happens, there could be party-sanctioned forums across the country, with candidates questioned by a moderator in front of a national television audience. Short of that, the candidates could embark on a monthlong national campaign, jetting across the country to solicit support from state delegates and delegations.

Which Democrats might jump into the race?

The key person to watch is Ms. Harris. If she becomes the consensus candidate, backed by Mr. Biden and other Democratic leaders, potential competitors with White House ambitions will have a big decision to make: challenge her, in a risky maneuver that could lead to damaging intraparty divisions, or stand aside in the name of Democratic unity.

The Democratic Party has a deep bench now. Among the potential candidates to watch are a handful of governors: Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan, Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania, Gavin Newsom of California, JB Pritzker of Illinois and Andy Beshear of Kentucky. Other potential candidates include Pete Buttigieg, the secretary of transportation, and Senators Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota and Cory Booker of New Jersey.