Joe Biden thrust his party into virtually unprecedented uncertainty Sunday when he announced he was ending his reelection campaign. What comes next?
President Joe Biden thrust his party into virtually unprecedented uncertainty Sunday when he announced he was ending his reelection campaign just weeks before his party’s convention and endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris to be the party’s next presidential nominee.
What comes next is anyone’s guess.
Speculation over Biden’s electoral future had been at a fever pitch since the president’s presidential debate last month, but the party had not been able to come to a consensus on what would follow his departure from the election.
Ideas had included having Harris slide into the nomination given her spot on an existing national ticket and ability to inherit the funds from Biden’s campaign. Others, however, have pushed for a mini-primary of sorts to test the rigors of would-be replacements, with many Democrats still thinking that Harris would be the frontrunner in such an impromptu contest.
Democrats are also still waiting to see who would jump into the race besides Harris, if anyone. Other names that had been bandied about include Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear; North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper; Maryland Gov. Wes Moore; California Gov. Gavin Newsom; Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker; Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro; Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer; Georgia Sen. Raphael Warnock and more.
Some of those lawmakers have tweeted out praise for Biden, with Newsom dubbing him » one of the most impactful and selfless presidents» — but none had thrown their hats into the ring as of early Sunday afternoon, and none had issued a quick Harris of endorsement.
Conversations will assuredly pick up around potential plans.
