The Democratic candidate, Joe Biden, announced his withdrawal last night. An announcement expected by some, feared by others, because its renunciation casts doubt on the further course of this presidential campaign.
The news was announced by Joe Biden himself this Sunday on X, then in a letter addressed to his nation. The Democratic candidate will ultimately not be a candidate for the 2024 presidential elections. The question is on everyone’s lips: who will replace Joe Biden. If the running mate is not necessarily required to automatically replace the incumbent candidate, Kamala Harris seems to be the favorite. However, no rule provides that the running mate automatically replaces the incumbent candidate. What will happen then?
Kamala Harris to succeed him?
After the Biden announcement, all eyes are on Kamala Harris. In his tweet, Biden supports his vice-president. She describes her as “an extraordinary partner in all areas,” he explains. However, no rule provides that the running mate automatically replaces the title candidate.
In a press release, the current vice-president of Joe Biden announced his candidacysaying he wants to win the Democratic nomination and “beat Donald Trump.” Kamala Harris, the first woman and first African-American to serve as vice president, is not alone in the race.
Other Democratic figures were also mentioned. The Governor of Michigan, Gretchen Whitmeraged 52 could be an ideal candidate. At 52, she heads a state where the working population and the black and Arab communities mix. One of the electorate that Joe Biden had difficulty seducing. According to its supporters, the Michigan will be one of the most contested states for the November presidential election, making her the ideal candidate for the party.
The name of Josh Shapiro51 years old, governor of Pennsylvaniawas also mentioned. The Democrat is at the head of one of the biggest “Swing States”. Former Attorney General of this State, he denounced sexual assaults committed by Catholic priests against thousands of children, and sued the Purdue laboratorymaker of the powerful opiate OxyContin.
How will the candidate to succeed Biden be elected?
Even if there is consensus on the name of the candidate to replace Joe Biden, the process to formally replace the outgoing president can prove complicated. With the withdrawal of the candidate, the delegates will be called to return to the ballot box.
The Democratic Party counts 3,900 people in totalwhich are now free to choose their candidate. In a press release, the Democratic Party promises a “transparent” process to choose a candidate other than Biden.
If a personality obtains the majority delegates, she is then officially designated candidate for the party. If this is not the case, the decision will be made at the convention. Only candidates who have received the signatures of at least 300 delegates (including no more than 50 from the same state) can present themselves, recalls the Washington Post. Several rounds are possible until a candidate obtains the majority of delegates.
A campaign in 3 months?
The Democratic Party has every interest in quickly electing a new candidate. Once the new profile has been elected, a campaign will have to be carried out, and this will be express. The candidate will have three months to gain popularity with voters. Kamala Harris would then have the advantage, since she has been Joe Biden’s vice-president for almost four years. Very popular, it has already received the support of several elected officials. By traveling through key states for months to campaign, she addresses key presidential issues such as the right to abortion.
Concerning campaign funds, there too, questions arise. Joe Biden’s team raised 91 million dollars (nearly 84 million euros) during the campaign. According to political finance experts, most believe that this money could be easily transferred to Kamala Harris. As Joe Biden’s running mate, the funds were also registered in her name, according to AP and Reuters.
On the other hand, if the Democrats choose another candidate, the transfer could become more complex. Funds could be allocated to the new applicant, but with restrictions on use. Indeed, these funds could be transferred to an independent political action committee (PAC), an organization that raises and spends funds for elections, but cannot be directly given to the future candidate, as explained AP. For the New York Timesthis transfer is not the most accommodating, because money from an outside group cannot be directly controlled by the campaign and PACs must pay higher rates for advertising, for example.
According to the New York Timesthe authorities of the Democratic Party will meet Wednesday July 24 to determine the rules and date of this process.