July 21, 2024, 8:41 PM
July 21, 2024, 8:41 PM
US President Joe Biden made a surprise announcement on Sunday that he was dropping out of the re-election campaign after resisting mounting calls for him to do so for weeks.
Biden, who will complete the remainder of his term, has endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris to replace him as the Democratic Party’s candidate for the Nov. 5 election against Republican Donald Trump.
The decision takes the party into uncharted waters with only one month left for the Democratic National Convention.
We offer you a guide of what may be coming.
What happens now?
The last time a sitting US president abandoned his re-election campaign was Lyndon Baines Johnson in 1968.
Given the paucity of precedent, the timetable for nominating a new candidate so close to Election Day is unclear.
President Biden had already won 3,896 delegatesmore than the amount needed to secure his party’s nomination.
While Biden’s endorsement makes Harris the most likely choice for the nomination, the delegates she has freed up They are not committed with a specific candidate.
Ultimately, it will be up to them to vote for whoever they see fit.
Could there be an open convention?
The Democratic National Convention is scheduled to begin August 19.
If the Democratic Party does not unite behind a new candidate, it could set the stage for an open convention for the first time since 1968.
That would mean that delegates would decide who to vote for.
Candidates would need the signatures of at least 300 delegates (no more than 50 from a single state) to have their name appear on the ballot.
There would be an initial round of voting among the 3,900 pledged delegates, which includes voters considered loyal to the Democratic Party.
If no candidate receives a majority of votes after this first round, further rounds of voting will be held.
These would include superdelegates (party leaders and elected officials) who would vote until a candidate is chosen.
To secure the party’s nomination, A candidate needs 1,976 votes of delegates.
Where does Kamala Harris stand and who supports her?
Vice President Kamala Harris, 59, is a priori the best positioned to replace Biden on the ticket.
Shortly after the president’s resignation on Sunday, Harris confirmed her intention to “win this nomination” and try to beat Trump in the November elections.
In doing so, she has the support of Biden himself, who openly backed her in his withdrawal letter.
They also rushed to support her. Former President Bill Clintonwho ruled the country between 1993 and 2001, and his wife Hillary Clintonwho ran against Trump in 2016.
In a statement posted on social media, X said they would do “everything they can to support her.”
Also, at least 35 deputies and 14 senators Democrats expressed their support for Harris’s campaign on Sunday.
They include Adam Schiff, the Democratic nominee for the Senate in California and an ally of Nancy Pelosi; Jim Clyburn, a friend of Joe Biden who praised the choice of Harris as his number two; and Ted Lieu, vice-chair of the House Democratic Caucus.
Ilhan Omar, a progressive Democrat from Minnesota, also endorsed Harris, as did Jamie Raskin of Maryland, who emphasized party unity, Robert Garcia of California, a Harris ally in 2020, and Val Hoyle of Oregon.
Who could compete with Harris?
As calls for Biden to drop out of the race grew in recent weeks, several potential replacements emerged.
Michigan’s Democratic governor, Gretchen Whitmerhas been mentioned as a possible candidate, although she stated that she would not consider running if Biden withdraws.
On Sunday, minutes after Biden’s announcement, he said he would do everything he could “to elect Democrats and stop Donald Trump.”
Other options include Secretary of Transportation, Pete Buttigiegto the governor of Pennsylvania, Josh Shapiroand the one from Illinois, J.B. Pritzker.
Some of these candidates could be considered for the vice presidential post if Harris ultimately wins the nomination.
What will happen to Biden’s campaign funds?
One factor that positions Harris as the candidate with the best chance is that she has campaign funds already raised.
The vice president has a significant financial advantage, with US$96 million available for your campaign, allowing you to continue it without interruption.
If another candidate were elected, the financial situation could become more complicated, since the money would have to be reimbursed to donors, and although there are some alternatives, they are considered more expensive and problematic.
One viable option would be to transfer those funds directly to the Democratic National Committee (DNC), as Michael Bloomberg did in 2020, providing considerable financial backing to the new candidate.
Another option could be to vote for a billionaire candidatelike Governor JB Pritzker, who could self-finance his campaign and match the resources of his Republican rival.
Furthermore, the behaviour of small donors will be a crucial factor during this period of uncertainty.
While a new candidate could generate enthusiasm and attract new donations, there is also a risk that fundraising will decline if the new candidate proves less competitive than Biden.
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