With President Joe Biden ending his reelection campaign and endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris, Democrats face an unprecedented shift this late in the election cycle.
The Democratic National Convention, scheduled for August 19-22 in Chicago, was initially expected to be a celebration of Biden’s renomination. Now, it becomes an open contest where nearly 4,700 delegates must choose a new candidate to challenge Republican Donald Trump in the fall.
Biden’s endorsement of Harris adds a complex layer to the process. Although current party rules do not allow Biden to transfer his delegates to another candidate, his endorsement carries huge political weight.
Biden won every state primary and caucus earlier this year, securing at least 3,896 delegates, but these delegates are not automatically shifted to Harris.
The convention now starts as an open contest, albeit heavily influenced by Biden’s backing of Harris. Harris must garner support from almost 4,000 state and territory delegates, plus more than 700 superdelegates comprising party leaders and former presidents and vice presidents.
Potential challengers to Harris include California Governor Gavin Newsom and Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer.
Both have been suggested as possible contenders. However, bypassing Harris, the first woman, first Black woman, and first person of South Asian descent to hold national office, could risk alienating key voter bases, especially Black voters who were crucial to Biden’s initial nomination.
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While Harris has not been universally seen as a particularly empowered vice president, the best scenario for her and the Democratic Party is to quickly consolidate support and present a united front.
The path forward for the Democratic Party involves navigating logistical, financial, and political challenges to stabilise the campaign and present a strong candidate against Trump in November.
