The following article, The Candidates Who Can Replace Biden, was first published on The Black Sphere.
Have you seen the Capital One commercials where they ask about the “easiest decisions”.
Well, Democrats find themselves with the easiest decision ever in getting rid of Biden. Surprisingly, the decision of who will replace him isn’t quite so easy.
Who will they get to take Biden’s ass-kicking? Before we review the list, let’s examine the rules to replace Biden:
However, Democratic Party rules do outline what would happen if Biden steps aside before he’s formally nominated (which is scheduled to happen in a virtual roll call before the convention), or if there’s a vacancy on the national ticket after Biden officially secures the nomination.
Note that if this unprecedented situation were to happen, it’s possible the party could vote to change any of the rules around candidate replacement. And if it comes to pass after the convention, it’s possible state laws could complicate efforts to replace Biden on specific ballots.
The question of replacing Biden had already been raised in 2021, just after Biden’s probationary year as POTUS.
Back in 2021 Democrats began looking at potential replacements. Clearly, they sensed that Biden would ruin Trump’s legacy and have to run on his own merit. Given the results of the last three years, they would have been smart to make the change long before now.
The list of potential replacement in 2021 were as follows:
* Kamala Harris: She’s undoubtedly struggled as vice president but she’s still the most likely Democrat not named Biden to wind up as the Democratic nominee in 2024.
* Pete Buttigieg: The most naturally talented candidate in the 2024 field, “Mayor Pete” has also been front and center selling Biden’s infrastructure bill.
* Elizabeth Warren: The Massachusetts senator is still popular among liberals – and wouldn’t be splitting the vote with Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders this time around like she did in 2020.
* Amy Klobuchar: Other than Buttigieg, the Minnesota senator was probably the best regarded of the losing candidates in 2020 – and her Midwest roots are always a plus given the electoral map.
* Roy Cooper: Term-limited out of office in 2024, the North Carolina governor has ample time to consider his next step – starting with his service as the vice chairman of the Democratic Governors Association.
* Mitch Landrieu: Being tasked with implementing the infrastructure bill is a big (and high-profile) job that the former New Orleans mayor has taken to with relish.
* Gina Raimondo: She made the leap from Rhode Island governor to Biden administration commerce secretary but doubts remain as to whether she is too moderate to win a Democratic primary in this moment.
* Gretchen Whitmer: The Michigan governor needs to win what could be a tough reelection race next year before she can turn to considering a national run in earnest.
* Phil Murphy: The record of New Jersey governors running for president isn’t great of late (sorry, Chris Christie!) but Murphy could use the next few years of his governorship as a testing ground for some national policies for the party.
* J.B. Pritzker: Pritzker has two things going for him – 1) He’s the governor of a major Midwestern state (Illinois) and 2) he’s very, very rich.
* Stacey Abrams: Abrams talked openly about running in 2020 before passing on the race; but she needs to win the Georgia governor’s mansion in 2022 before thinking too much about 2024.
Forbes offered a few changes from 2021 list by AOL:
A few names are missing, and a few have been added.
Harris remained at the top of the list. And Forbes described her as “the most obvious, de facto pick for a potential Biden replacement on the general election ticket” The choice of Harris is almost solely due to her national name recognition, which Forbes considers an advantage over other potential Biden replacements. In a truncated campaign, name recognition would no doubt prove to be an advantage. Then again, Harris’ name recognition might not be as good as thing as one might think.
Next, Forbes mentioned the obvious heir to the throne, California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s. They cited his political activity, including his support for Democrats in elections outside of California as evidence he was positioning for the Oval Office. Forbes noted that Newsom’s activities prompted rumors last year he was running a “shadow campaign” for the White House, which Newsom has firmly dismissed. Instead, Newsom vowed his allegiance to Biden’s 2024 campaign and serving as a Biden campaign surrogate. Nevertheless, the man who slept with the wife of his best friend and campaign manager might not be telling the whole truth.
The two most prominent Democrats notwithstanding, Forbes offered three governors:
Other Democratic governors who have elevated their national profiles—Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, Colorado Gov. Jared Polis, and Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro—are also regularly listed as potential Biden alternatives, especially after all four won gubernatorial races by double digits in 2022, but they’re all stumping for Biden’s 2024 campaign and have defended him in the wake of the debate.
Frankly, none of these people can beat President Trump, and would be sacrificial lambs all. But are you ready for a good laugh?
Retread Bernie Sanders made the list as a potential candidate. Sanders is older than Biden, and has had the nomination yanked from him twice. And according to Forbes,
An advisor to Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), who is a year older than Biden, said in a 2022 memo he hadn’t ruled out a run for president in 2024 in the event of an open primary, but Sanders has firmly defended Biden’s decision to stay in the race, urging Democrats to “stop the bickering and nit-picking” of Biden in a July 13 New York Times op-ed titled “Joe Biden for President.”
More presidential retreads were offered. Again, name me the one who can beat Trump?
Former Democratic presidential candidates, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and Sens. Cory Booker, D-N.J., and Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., are also among the names commonly floated to replace Biden; none have expressed a desire to run in place of Biden, and Booker has defended Biden publicly, while Klobuchar has expressed concerns about the future of his candidacy.
Finally, what about the man who already proved he can’t beat Biden?
Democratic primary contender Rep. Dean Phillips (D-Minn.) ran against Biden in the 2024 primary, largely focusing on Biden’s age, but he received little support before dropping out.
As I said earlier, the only viable candidate to beat Trump in 2024 is a candidate named “Dominion Voting Machines”. And even he can’t win this time.
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