US President Joe Biden has withdrawn from the campaign for a second term, following calls from Democratic members of Congress, following his failure in his debate against his Republican rival, Donald Trump.
At least 30 members of the House of Representatives, three U.S. senators, and a number of major Democratic Party donors, including actor George Clooney, joined Democrats calling on Biden to end his bid for a new presidential term.
Adding to the pressure on him is a series of opinion polls since the debate that have indicated that Trump may be ahead in key states.
Until July 21, Biden continued to insist that he would remain in the presidential race, and he also took advantage of his appearances at a number of campaign events and an hour-long press conference at NATO.
How can Biden be replaced?
Different scenarios could unfold over the coming days and weeks.
Biden has the support of almost all of the Democratic representatives who will vote on his nomination, and after he withdraws, they are allowed to vote for another candidate. Whoever wins the majority of votes will be the new nominee.
But Leah Daughtry, chair of the party’s convention rules committee, said at Friday’s meeting that “any challenger must have the proven support of hundreds of MPs” in voting to change the electoral process.
“Such a challenge has never occurred in the past half century of competitive primaries,” Daughtry noted.
Party rules state that representatives are not technically required to vote for Biden, but they do say that they “should conscientiously reflect the feelings of those who elected them.”
After Biden’s withdrawal, who are the main potential contenders to succeed him?
Vice President Kamala Harris
Vice President Kamala Harris is an obvious choice and increasingly popular within the party to replace Biden.
As his deputy, she became the face of the administration’s campaign to protect reproductive rights after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, the abortion case.
Harris has proven to be a loyal ally of the president and has strongly defended his debate performance. Afterward, she acknowledged that the president had a “slow start” but said he continued to provide more substantive answers than Trump.
Days after the debate, with concerns growing about the president’s ability to continue his campaign, Harris reiterated her support for Biden. “We beat Trump once and we’ll beat him again,” she said. “I’m proud to be Joe Biden’s running mate.”
Harris is widely known for being vice president, but has suffered from low approval ratings throughout her tenure.
According to 51% of Americans, they do not support Harris, while 37% support her, according to poll rates followed by the American website FiveThirtyEight, which specializes in analyzing data and statistical reports.
Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer
Gretchen Whitmer is the two-term governor of Michigan and is popular among Democrats in the Midwest, where many believe she could run for president in 2028.
She has campaigned for President Biden in the past, and is not shy about her political ambitions.
She told The New York Times that she would like to see a Gen X president in 2028, but stopped short of suggesting that she might be that person.
In 2022, she led a campaign that kept Michigan Democrats in control of state legislatures and the governorship.
This kind of political control has enabled her to implement policies including protecting abortion rights in Michigan and passing gun safety measures.
California Governor Gavin Newsom
California Governor Gavin Newsom is one of the strong alternatives to Biden, and he had previously appeared in the media praising Biden.
He traveled to Washington for a meeting with Biden before his withdrawal, and other prominent Democratic governors.
But Newsom appears to have political ambitions of his own.
He has been mentioned as a possible 2028 candidate, but many Democratic analysts now speculate that he could be Biden’s replacement.
Newsom has raised his national profile in recent years. He became a leading surrogate during a Biden debate in Atlanta in June, declining to answer several questions about whether he would replace Biden.
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg
It’s no secret that Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg has presidential ambitions, running for president in 2020 and considered one of the best speakers in the Biden administration.
Buttigieg also managed some public crises during his tenure as transportation secretary.
He helped oversee the government’s response to the East Palestine, Ohio, train derailment, the Baltimore bridge collapse, and the 2022 Southwest Airlines flight scheduling crisis.
Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro
Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro has enjoyed high approval ratings since his election in 2022.
The governor, who previously served as the state’s attorney general, has worked across party lines during his term.
He also made national headlines last year after he quickly rebuilt a collapsed highway bridge in Philadelphia, a major political victory for a first-term governor.
The rapid reform has received much praise from people who see it as an ideal infrastructure topic for any potential candidate who wants to run for the 2028 presidential election.
Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker
J.B. Pritzker, the current governor of Illinois, has increased his profile in recent years by attacking Trump and defending Biden.
Pritzker, a billionaire businessman, is quick to post his criticism of Trump on social media. After the debate, for example, he called Trump a “liar” and said he was “a 34-count indicted person who only cares about himself.”
Like Whitner, Pritzker has a track record of accomplishing Democratic to-do lists on issues like abortion rights and gun control.
Are there other possible candidates?
The long list of potential candidates goes beyond these Democrats, as the party has developed a list of potential future presidential candidates.
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, a two-term Democratic governor in a deeply conservative state, has gained increased national attention since his re-election last year.
Maryland Governor Wes Moore has also found himself in the spotlight in recent months after the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore.
Senators Amy Klobuchar and Cory Booker have run for president in the past and have some name recognition among Democrats.
Georgia Sen. Raphael Warnock, who won a Senate race in a swing state, is also among those mentioned as a potential replacement for Biden. A Reuters-Ipsos poll found [تعاون بين وكالة الأنباء رويترز وشركة إبسوس للأبحاث يوفر استطلاعات رأي وتحليلا للبيانات في مواضيع مختلفة]It was recently reported that the only person who could beat Trump in November is Michelle Obama. But the former first lady has said repeatedly that she has no ambitions for the presidency.