It’s panic time for the Democratic Party, even if many key leaders and members won’t admit it publicly. Since President Joe Biden’s lack-lustered presidential debate against Donald Trump on June 27, which was punctuated with episodes of confusion and incoherency, the Dems have been stuck in “should we mode,” meaning “should we” stay with 81-year-old Joe or “should we” move on to another candidate.
With less than 125 days until the Nov. 5 presidential election, either decision could have grave consequences for the Democratic Party’s bid to keep Trump from returning to the White House in January 2025. And making the wrong decision could severely impact down-ballot Democrats running in national, state, and local races.
In the days following Biden’s nightmarish debate, there has been support for him to stay at the top of the 2024 Democratic presidential ticket. Yet, there have been growing calls for “46” to step away from the race, citing his horrible debate performance rooted in other signs that the president is not cognitively capable of rendering leadership to America for four more years.
“We have to be honest with ourselves that it wasn’t just a horrible night,” Illinois Rep. Mike Quigley told CNN on the heels of the debate. “He clearly has to understand, I think, that his decision not only impacts who’s going to serve in the White House the next four years but who’s going to serve in the Senate, who’s going to serve in the House, and it will have implications for decades to come.”
Biden, however, remains defiant.
“No one is pushing me out,” the president said almost a week after the infamous debate. “And “I’m not leaving. I’m in this race to the end and we’re going to win. It wasn’t my best debate ever as Barack pointed out. I understand the concern after the debate. I get it. I didn’t have a great night, but I’m going to be fighting harder.”
While Biden is fighting to stay in the race, there’s been no shortage of names of potential replacements circulating on national news platforms, including VP Harris, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, California Gov. Gavin Newsom, Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, Transportation Sec. Pete Buttigieg, and Sen. Amy Klobuchar.
Of the aforementioned potential candidates, all of whom have political cachet, many believe Harris, an African American with South Asian ancestry, is the most likely choice to replace Biden “ if” he decides to vacate the race for re-election before the Democratic National Convention, which will be held from August 19 to 22 in Chicago.
Harris, the former Attorney General of California and one-time U.S. Senator has been on the national and international stages as America’s VP for three and a-half years. Since January 2021, the vice president has made more than a dozen foreign trips to 19 countries and has met with more than 150 world leaders. Harris has consistently sat in the White House’s Situation Room, where top officials meet, strategize, and make national and international decisions on major matters and issues. Harris has far more national and international name recognition than any of the other potential replacements.
In a hypothetical head-to-head race against Trump earlier this year, national pollsters found that the former president topped the vice president by six points. However, recent polls in the aftermath of the debate debacle have her within three points of Trump. Another post-debate national poll has Harris and Trump nearly tied with 42% supporting the VP and 43% supporting the former president.
If Biden steps aside in the coming days or weeks leading up to the Democratic National Convention, political insiders believe he would have tremendous influence on who takes his place at the top of the party’s ticket. VP Harris would be the overwhelming favorite, even if others wanted to challenge her as the pick at the convention. Most believe the last thing the Democratic Party would want is a hotly contested national convention and political food fight on national television showing Harris being pushed out in favor of a White candidate.
“You can’t say that Biden has done a good job without saying VP Harris has done a good job,” said U.S. Rep. Bennie Thompson, the veteran African American congressman from Mississippi. “Harris is incredibly strong and for her to be pushed aside would be the kiss of death for the Democratic Party.”
On July 3rd, more than 20 Democratic governors met with the president at the White House to gauge his perspective on the race and how best to move beyond the current impasse. Harris was also in attendance.
“The President has always had our backs, and we are going to have his back as well,” said Maryland’s African American Governor Wes Moore after the meeting. “The President was very clear that he is in this to win this. And the President is our nominee and our party leader. It’s time to mount up.”
Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, also attended the White House meeting, and wrote on X, “Joe Biden is our nominee. He is in it to win it and I support him.”
While factions of the Democratic Party are crafting exit strategies and scenarios for Biden in the best and most respectful way, Harris remains 100 percent committed to the president staying in the race.
“Joe Biden is our nominee,” Harris continues to say. “I am proud to be his running mate.”
Yet, the talk of replacing Biden in the race is not going away; it’s only getting louder. Ready or not, America, many Democrats are now saying, It’s “Harris’ Time” to ascend to the top of the 2024 Democratic presidential ticket and beyond.
“The whole point of being vice president is it means you’re second in line, you’re next up,” said Democratic strategist Michael Trujillo. “And so it would just make no sense if we were to choose someone other than Kamala. If Kamala Harris isn’t qualified, then why has she been our vice president for three and a half years? That just makes no sense.”
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