Although Joe Biden has signaled that he has no intention of withdrawing from the race for another termthere is ongoing speculation about this, who could replace go as the Democratic candidate after a poor performance in last week's debate, the “WSJ” wrote on Tuesday.
Various candidates are mentioned – including the governor of California Gavin Newsomgovernor Michigan Gretchen Whitmer or the governor of Pennsylvania Josh Shapiro – however, the most likely alternative to Biden remains the vice president Kamala Harriswhich would also inherit from Biden if he resigned campaign budget and staff.
Harris Instead of Biden? “She's Ready to Be President”
The Journal noted that Harris' poll ratings are almost the same or even worse than the president's, but she is popular among key electorate groups Democratic Party – women and African Americans, and omitting her candidacy would lead to resentment and divisions within the party.
– She is ready to be president (…) I would be furious if someone tried to omit the vice president – he said in an interview with the daily Keith Williamshead of African-American Democratic Party activists in the key election state of Michigan. A similar opinion was expressed by one of the most senior Democrats and leader of black lawmakers in Congress Jim Clyburn.
Harris herself made several media and campaign appearances following Biden's debate performance, she defended the presidentarguing that one speech cannot erase his entire body of work.
According to NBC, Biden's campaign held a conference call with top campaign donors on Sunday, trying to dispel their doubts about the 81-year-old Biden's ability to hold office for four consecutive years.
Despite this, some of them were supposed to ask about alternative candidates and even ask for the money they donated to be returned. Sponsors were supposed to hear that there was a scenario in which the president would withdraw from the presidential race, in which most of the campaign money would go to Harris' campaign.
Biden’s team also argues, citing polls, that alternative candidates are worse off in a hypothetical matchup with Trump. Two of the most frequently mentioned potential successors to Biden besides Harris, Newsom and Whitmer, have publicly supported the president and condemned calls for his resignation.
However, according to Politico, Whitmer assured Biden's campaign that does not seek to replace the presidentbut at the same time she warned that her condition Michigan – crucial for the fate of the election – after Biden's performance in the debate, it is “unwinnable” for him.