Democrats have quickly coalesced around Vice President Kamala Harris as their likely presidential nominee on Sunday following President Joe Biden’s shock decision to withdraw from the 2024 race, a volatile and fast-moving political situation just months before the November election.
Shortly after Biden stepped aside, he strongly endorsed Harris, who would make history as the country’s first Black and South Asian woman to become a major party’s presidential nominee.
Other endorsements came from former President Bill Clinton and Hillary Clinton, the first major female presidential candidate, and prominent U.S. senators, a broad swath of House representatives and members of the influential Congressional Black Caucus.
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Potential rivals for the post instantly became Harris supporters.
As Democrats organize to take on Republican Donald Trump this fall, Biden said choosing Harris as his vice president had been the “best decision” he had ever made. “Let’s do it,” he said.
“I intend to win this nomination,” Harris said in a statement.
The political and logistical situation ahead for Democrats, however, remains somewhat uncertain, as the party that hoped to go into the November election by presenting Trump as a quasi-authoritarian leader and a threat to American democracy now must reshuffle the top of its ticket in a matter of weeks, before the party’s nominating convention begins on August 19.
A groundswell of support for Harris to lead the party appeared to be building — within hours, Biden’s campaign formally changed its name to Harris for President, reflecting that she is inheriting his political operation — but there are notable holdouts.
Former President Barack Obama and Speaker Emeritus Nancy Pelosi, who are widely seen as architects of Biden’s withdrawal from the race out of concern about not only retaining the White House but also winning control of Congress, did not explicitly endorse Harris, and Pelosi favors an open primary to strengthen an eventual nominee.
And West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin, who left the Democratic Party earlier this year to become an independent, is considering re-registering as a Democrat to run for the nomination against the vice president, according to his longtime adviser Jonathan Kott.
Key Democrats believe Harris would benefit from what some call a “mini-primary.” They argue that a quick primary campaign would show the American people, party donors and skeptics that Harris is the best for the job, and give potential contenders a chance to compete — or at least debut as potential running mates.
Harris was making late-day calls to congressional lawmakers and racking up support, including from Rep. Annie Kuster of New Hampshire, chairwoman of the New Democratic Coalition, a moderate group on Capitol Hill, which endorsed Harris on Sunday.
Democratic National Committee Chairman Jaime Harrison promised a “transparent and orderly process.”
In a matter of months, early voting will begin and Democrats have no time to waste if they want to compete against an energetic Republican Party that has welcomed Trump’s return. They must make a swift shift to unify a shaken Democratic Party, reorient an entire campaign apparatus around a new presidential ticket and organize the ground game to get out the vote.
Trump’s team faces its own challenge, refocusing its relentless attacks — from Biden’s age (81), his stamina and ability to govern — to a yet-to-be-named Democratic nominee who appears increasingly likely to be Harris. Among the leading potential contenders, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has said she won’t run, and Govs. Gavin Newsom of California, Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania and Roy Cooper of North Carolina all endorsed Harris on Sunday.
“He has what it takes to defeat Donald Trump and lead our country with thoughtfulness and integrity,” Cooper said on social media.
Before Biden’s announcement, Republicans had already signaled their initial strategy of criticizing Harris as complicit in supporting him, despite his mistakes, and are working on legal challenges for the 2024 election.
“Not only would Harris be a disaster in the White House, she also helped Biden cover up his declining health while in office, destroying his credibility,” said a statement from Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Whatley and co-chair Lara Trump.
Even with Biden’s endorsement of Harris, there has been active debate about her rise among Democratic heavyweights — lawmakers, wealthy donors and former senior officials from the Biden, Obama and Clinton administrations, according to a Democrat with deep ties to the Biden-Harris administration.
The person, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss internal conversations, said a mini-primary would help Harris seal her credentials as a strong, sharp candidate and help dampen criticism that she has been anointed in an undemocratic way — something the Trump campaign has already sought to use against her.
But for several Democratic allies and lawmakers who immediately backed Harris for the nomination, it would be untenable for the party to overlook what would be a historic nomination.
Still, other Democrats have been silent on supporting Harris or pushing for an open process.
Donors are weighing in. Chad Griffin, a member of the campaign’s national finance committee and a top Democratic fundraiser in the Los Angeles area, said the party is lucky to have Harris. “She is the proven and trusted leader we need to lead us to victory in November,” he said in a statement.
The Democratic convention in Chicago that was supposed to be a coronation for Biden is now turning into an open contest in which nearly 4,700 delegates will be responsible for choosing a new standard-bearer.
The immediate burden falls on Harris to consolidate support from the nearly 4,000 delegates from states, territories and the District of Columbia, plus more than 700 so-called superdelegates, who include party leaders, certain elected officials and former presidents and vice presidents.
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