The Democratic Party faces a significant challenge if it becomes necessary to replace President Joe Biden with another candidate for the November election. Time magazine reports that two analysts argue that there is not enough time for a replacement due to the potential chaos such a move could cause. This uncertainty arises after many major donors called for Biden’s removal from the ticket following his “disastrous” debate performance against Donald Trump last week.
During the debate, an visibly weakened and disoriented Biden struggled to speak coherently, mispronounced words, and seemed to lose his train of thought multiple times. This lackluster performance reportedly sparked panic within the Democratic Party, leading numerous major donors to call for his replacement on the party’s ticket for the November 5th election.
However, according to the two analysts writing for Time magazine, it would be “unprecedented” for any other candidate to fill this void so quickly. Even if Biden decides to step down, the nomination process could become highly divisive and detrimental to the party’s chances in November.
At present, there is no clear frontrunner within the Democratic Party should Biden decide to withdraw from the race. Vice President Kamala Harris, who has been frequently mentioned as a potential replacement, trails Trump in the polls by an even greater margin than Biden himself. While other candidates like Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries may be appealing choices, they both face significant challenges in mounting a successful campaign so late in the race.
Despite concerns within the party, the president’s team has publicly emphasized that there are no plans to drop out of the race and the Democratic Party has reaffirmed its support for Biden. However, media reports suggest that the party’s top brass, including former President Barack Obama, may be privately considering holding an open contest at the August Democratic National Convention to decide a new candidate should Biden become unable to compete.
In summary, replacing Joe Biden with another candidate for the November election poses significant challenges for the Democratic Party due to time constraints and potential division among its members. Should the party pursue this path, it will need to carefully consider the ramifications of such a decision on its chances of success in the upcoming election.