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President Joe Biden’s re-election bid has strong support from elected Democrats.
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Biden is committed to the race, but there is widespread speculation whether he will stay in the contest.
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In the unlikely event that Biden leaves the race, some Democrats will be in the mix to lead the party.
After President Joe Biden announced his re-election bid last April, the majority of Democratic leaders joined his candidacy, which was no surprise to the incumbent.
But Biden has one of the most unusual presidential backgrounds in US history: He has been a fixture in Washington for more than 50 years as a Delaware senator, vice president, and now president. And if he is re-elected for a second term this fall, he will be 82 when he is inaugurated in January 2025 and 86 at the end of his second term.
Biden’s age has become an issue among many voters, including some who tend to support him over former President Donald Trump. Concerns have grown after special counsel Robert Hur released a report on the investigation into Biden’s handling of classified documents, in which no charges were recommended, but the president’s acuity and memory were questioned.
Through it all, Biden has defended his re-election bid, saying his age is an asset, dismissing the special counsel’s report, and stating why he should be re-elected — pointing to accomplishments such as the bipartisan infrastructure bill and the Inflation Reduction Act. and touting low national unemployment numbers.
What does all this mean? Biden is unlikely to leave the race, especially since he dominates the Democratic presidential race and is committed to a rematch with Trump. But speculation about whether he will withdraw from the contest continues to swirl.
If Biden does not bow out after winning the majority of 3,936 delegates needed to secure the Democratic nomination, a new candidate must be chosen at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago this August. But it will be a bad process because primary school is now over.
Virtually every major Democratic governor or senator is behind the president’s re-election bid and has long rejected the idea of ​​replacing him in this year’s election.
But who could be Biden’s successor if that scenario unfolds?
Vice President Kamala Harris
Harris, by many measures, would be a natural successor to Biden.
As vice president, he worked with Biden on a variety of voting rights and foreign policy issues. She previously served as San Francisco district attorney, California attorney general, and California senator and is a historic figure as a Black, Indian American, and first lady vice president.
And he has been the government’s challenger to the GOP’s abortion ban after the Supreme Court’s 2022 decision to overturn Roe v. Wade.
But Harris previously launched a 2020 presidential bid that looked promising but fell flat with voters. (He eventually ended his campaign before the start of the primaries and caucuses.)
As vice president, Harris has been praised by Biden. But his office struggled with turnover and reports of dysfunction before the season. He also has to contend with a poor approval rating, which has caused concern among some Democrats about his electability as the party also looks to 2028 – when he will be the best candidate, given a positive sign with black voters and young voters.
Governor Gavin Newsom of California
Gov. Gavin Newsom, the former mayor of San Francisco who is also California’s lieutenant governor, leads the nation’s most populous state and, in recent years, has become one of the most prominent Democratic surrogates of Biden.
California is often used as a foil by national Republicans to contrast the conservative policies of states such as Florida and Texas. But Newsom has been outspoken not only promoting the Golden State but touting Democratic policy stances and legislative wins – and he’s not afraid to take direct objections to the GOP.
As governor, Newsom has taken a more moderate stance in recent years on issues related to the workforce and addressing homelessness in his state.
Newsom’s political trajectory may collide with Harris, his Bay Area colleague, but he has long maintained a strong working relationship, and the governor has praised his work with Biden.
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer from Michigan
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, the two-term governor of Michigan, is used to tough political battles. And during his tenure as governor, he has won many of those battles: Democrats in recent years have made a strong showing in the Wolverine State, holding every top state office and taking control of the state legislature in the 2022 midterm elections.
When Whitmer ran for re-election in 2022 against Republican Tudor Dixon, he won by nearly 11 points, reflecting his appeal with voters in a state where margins are often narrow.
This fall, Michigan is expected to be one of the closest states in the nation in the presidential race. And Whitmer, a former state lawmaker and former prosecutor, is set to be a critical voice for Biden’s campaign in Michigan.
The governor has encouraged Biden to speak more forcefully on abortion rights, an issue that has affected many voters — but especially women — across the country after Roe was overturned.
In a potential field without Biden, Whitmer’s Midwestern background, strong alliance with organized labor, and moderate appeal could make him a strong contender. But he will also be a fresh face in a contest that will likely feature Trump on the GOP side.
Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota
Sen. Amy Klobuchar, who has served in the Senate since 2007, ran for president in 2020 and finished very well in the New Hampshire primary – even beating Biden and then-Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts.
But his campaign couldn’t gain the momentum he needed in the South Carolina primary to continue his bid, and he dropped out of the race.
Still, Klobuchar will be a candidate to watch in the open field, as he increases his national presence in the primary and can point to his longstanding bipartisan record of accomplishments representing Minnesota in the Senate.
Sen. Cory Booker of New Jersey
Senator Cory Booker is also running for president in 2020, ending his campaign in January of that year.
But the former Newark mayor has been a national figure for years and is seen as a 2028 contender.
He could easily start his potential 2028 campaign in South Carolina, as he campaigned across the country in 2019 and 2020.
In the scenario that Democrats have to pick a candidate other than Biden, he might be part of the conversation.
Governor Roy Cooper of North Carolina
Gov. Roy Cooper isn’t a big name among Democratic voters outside of North Carolina, at least not yet. The former state lawmaker, North Carolina attorney general, and two-term governor are now rising through the ranks of government and, along the way, crossing political divides that will trouble politicians.
In a GOP-leaning state where Democratic candidates must compete on difficult terrain, Cooper, a moderate, has come out on top.
Democrats haven’t chosen a Southern governor as their presidential nominee since Bill Clinton in 1992. Looking to the future, perhaps as early as 2028, Cooper is someone who is poised to be on the minds of many in the party.
Governor Wes Moore of Maryland
Governor Wes Moore, an Army veteran who is also a Rhodes Scholar, was first elected governor in 2022. He has focused heavily on addressing issues such as child poverty and housing affordability, two of the most pressing public policy challenges for leaders. state and federal levels.
One of Moore’s main thrusts is to reshape how patriotism is defined in politics, as he told Business Insider during his first gubernatorial campaign that no party or movement can claim the idea as its own.
“I don’t let anyone try to fight,” Moore told BI in an October 2022 interview, “or claim that they have a higher stake or a higher claim than me or my family or the people I serve or I. members of society”.
The governor, seen by many as a potential 2028 contender, has become a staunch political ally of both Biden and Harris.
While Moore may be a relative newcomer to elective politics, his profile has only continued to grow within the Democratic Party.
Correction: February 23, 2024 – An earlier version of this story misstated one of President Joe Biden’s arguments for why he should be re-elected. They have mentioned low national unemployment numbers, not low national employment numbers.
Read the original article on Business Insider
