By Nandita Bose
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Vice President Kamala Harris is the main alternative to replace the US president Joe Biden if he decides not to continue his re-election campaign, according to seven senior sources from the Biden campaign, the White House and the Democratic National Committee with knowledge of current discussions on the issue.
Biden’s clumsy, sometimes incoherent and widely criticized performance in the first debate against his Republican rival donald trump Last week triggered a wave of panic within the Democratic Party over concerns that he may not be fit enough to serve a second term, and led to calls for top aides to resign.
Some influential Democrats have presented alternatives to Biden besides Harris, including popular cabinet members and Democratic governors like Gavin Newsom of California, Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan and Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania. But trying to bypass Harris is wishful thinking and would be nearly impossible, said these sources, who declined to be identified.
If the party’s nominee is named, Harris, 59, would take over money raised by Biden’s campaign and inherit campaign infrastructure, the sources said. She also has the highest name recognition of any alternative and the highest vote share among Democrats who could be seriously considered candidates, the sources said.
In a Reuters/Ipsos poll published on Tuesday, Harris was one percentage point behind Trump at 42% to 43%, a difference that was well within the poll’s 3.5 percentage point margin of error, a statistically significant result. as strong as Biden’s.
Furthermore, she has already been considered for a national position and has survived intense scrutiny from Republicans, they said. Additionally, U.S. Representative Jim Clyburn, the man who was instrumental in Biden’s 2020 victory, told MSNBC that he would support Harris to be the Democratic nominee if Biden were to step aside.
“It’s almost impossible to win the vice presidential nomination,” said Michael Trujillo, a California Democratic strategist who worked on Hillary Clinton’s campaign in 2008 and 2016.
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Tuesday that Biden had just had a “bad night” at the debate and would continue to advocate for re-election to the American people. The Biden campaign deferred to Harris’ team for comment on the story.
Harris’ aides have rejected any talk of a Democratic ticket that does not include Biden and Harris. “Vice President Harris looks forward to serving a second term with President Joe Biden,” said a statement from her office.
The Biden campaign accumulated 3,894 delegates after the state primaries, leaving just a few dozen “unpledged” delegates outstanding. They are expected to formally nominate Biden later this month in a virtual meeting ahead of the Democrats’ nominating convention in August.
“All of the delegates are not just Joe Biden delegates, they are Kamala Harris delegates,” Trujillo said, adding that “she will have a sizable delegation and support in all 50 states on day one,” he said.
Donna Brazile, the former acting chairwoman of the Democratic National Committee who has a key role on the committee at this year’s Democratic National Convention in August, said the person who could step in immediately if Biden decides not to run is Harris.
“People can dream of another superhero, but there is a process and the last time I checked it is a Biden-Harris ticket, she is number two on the ticket,” Brazile said, adding that Biden remains the Democratic Party nominee. and “it’s not going somewhere.”
Replacing the first Black and female vice president with another candidate would lead to a backlash from Black and female voters, who are key to any victory, several Democratic strategists said.
‘IMPOSSIBLE TO IGNORE KAMALA’
Still, Harris has been avoided in much speculation since the debate because some influential Democrats have little faith she can defeat Trump, four of the sources said.
The United States has never elected a female president, and Harris spent much of her time as vice president struggling to distinguish herself in a role that is, by definition, supportive. As recently as last year, many within the White House and Biden’s campaign privately feared that she was a risk to the campaign.
Since then, Harris has managed to make headway on the issue of abortion rights, but her polling has not significantly improved. Harris’ approval ratings sit below 40%, but according to recent polls highlighted by the Biden campaign, she and the president have similar chances of defeating Trump.
The vice president has also been a consistent target of Republican and conservative media outlets in attacks that many allies consider sexist and racist.
Three Democratic donors who recently pushed for Biden to step aside also said this week they think it will be “impossible” to bypass Harris. Donors suggested Whitmer and Newsom as possible alternatives as recently as last weekend.
“There’s a real conversation in the Democratic Party about leadership right now, but it’s fair to say, and I’m not excited about this… it’s going to be impossible to ignore Kamala,” said one of the donors.
Another donor said “she is no one’s choice, but rather, almost impossible”.
Still, the president’s reelection campaign is holding steady, encouraged by a stronger performance from Biden during a scheduled speech in North Carolina, even as calls grow for him to step aside.
Stephanie Cutter, former President Barack Obama’s deputy campaign manager, whose company is contracted to produce the Democratic National Convention in August, said that “President Biden is the nominee and will remain the nominee.”
“For those looking for some kind of interparty fight, be careful what you wish for because that would guarantee a Trump victory,” she said in a statement.
(Reporting by Nandita Bose in Washington; Editing by Heather Timmons and Deepa Babington)
