What happens if President Biden withdraws from the race?

 

On Friday, President Joe Biden's campaign team announced that he will remain in the presidential race. But the number of Democrats who are publicly saying that his chances of winning in the November elections are slim but growing, and there is still a possibility that President Biden will withdraw. Only on Friday, 12 elected Democrats spoke publicly, increasing to about 35 the number of Democratic lawmakers and senators who have requested the president's withdrawal from the race. As VOA correspondent Patsy Widakuswara reports, Democrats need to make a quick decision on who will replace him and how that will be done.

President Biden is currently in isolation due to COVID at his home in Delaware. If he were to withdraw from the presidential race, one possible scenario would be for him to support an alternative candidate.

Almost all of the 3,896 delegates who will gather at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago next month have determined to vote for President Biden, who won the statewide primary. But as political analyst John Fortier says, there is an alternative.

"There could be some negotiations if Joe Biden decides to withdraw, and perhaps Vice President Harris could be encouraged to become the official nominee. But there is no absolute guarantee, or a legal way to shift support towards it," says Mr. Fortier for the Voice of America.

Second in the presidential hierarchy, Vice President Kamala Harris would be the logical choice. 58% of Democrats think Ms. Harris would make a good president, according to a new poll by the Center for Public Studies and the Associated Press news agency. But only 30% of Americans think she should run for president. Publicly she supports President Biden.

"Joe Biden is our candidate. We beat Trump once and we will beat him again. Period," she said.

Nominating an African-American candidate like Ms. Harris could also help secure the African-American vote, a core base of Democratic Party supporters. However, Democrats may also want to avoid an undemocratic image with an automatic "coronation", especially if there are other people who would express a desire to be candidates.

Among the possible candidates are three other governors: Gavin Newsome of California, Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania and Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan.

"The objective of the party will be a process before the assembly and during the assembly, which will allow the persons who will enter the race to communicate with the delegates. Several things can be done. There may be local meetings. There may even be a debate," says Elaine Kamarck, from the Brookings Institution.

During the assembly, the democrats must also decide who will be the candidate for vice president, another process that can bring enthusiasm, but also division.

"Whoever will be most critical of Mrs. Harris's candidacy will probably be from the faction of the party that will present the candidate for vice president. But it's all speculation at this point, since nothing like this has been seen before," says Jennifer Mercieca, professor of political communication at Texas A&M University.

As the November elections approach, the situation looks tumultuous for Democrats.

"We will very quickly make America great again," said former President Trump.

Republicans have already finished their convention, demonstrating unity in support of their candidate for president, Donald Trump./ VOA