U.S. President Joe Biden has ended his reelection campaign and is endorsing Kamala Harris to be the Democratic nominee in the November 5 presidential election. In the ensuing power vacuum, Harris has emerged as the obvious choice to face off against the Republican nominee, former president Donald Trump, but first, she will have to shore up support within her party.
Nothing about Harris’ nomination is guaranteed and the current Vice President has stated that she intends to “earn and win” her place on the ballot. Democrats are set to pick their nominee at the Democratic National Convention, slated for Aug. 19-22.
Even before Biden announced he was dropping out of the race, Democrats were floating numerous potential alternatives for the nomination after the President’s disastrous debate performance against Trump. So far, though, no other Democrat has announced they intend to campaign against Harris — but it’s still early days.
Leading Democrats who have the best shot at challenging Harris are also some of her strongest picks for a running mate. Harris herself ran a presidential campaign against Biden in 2020 before dropping out of the race and joining his ticket.
High-profile Democrats now have to choose between throwing their hat in the ring, against a candidate with international name recognition and who is already receiving a wave of endorsements, or throw their support behind her. While recent polling suggests a majority of Democrats support Harris, she has also faced scrutiny for failing to step up on critical issues and distinguish herself in her vice-presidential role.
The question remains if Harris would be able to defeat Trump if she secures the nomination.
Here’s a look at some of the top Democratic politicians who could give Harris a run for her money, or potentially join her ticket.
Gavin Newsom
California Gov. Gavin Newsom has long been considered as a potential candidate for president, as he’s one of the most recognized figures in the Democratic Party.
Newsom also fuelled speculation about his White House ambitions after he debated Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis last year. Some called it a window into an alternative political universe, in which DeSantis and Newsom faced off for the Oval Office instead of Biden and Trump.
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Newsom launched a “Campaign for Democracy” last year to advance Democratic causes, including gun reform and abortion rights. It has so far raised over US$10 million while also raising his profile on the national stage.
However, Newsom has said multiple times that he would not run for president and his chances of being picked as a running mate also appear quite slim. Harris is also from California and won’t need much help shoring up support in the historically blue state.
Newsom reacted to the news of Biden’s exit from the presidential race by tweeting that he “will go down in history as one of the most impactful and selfless presidents.”
Gretchen Whitmer
Besides Newsom, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer likely has the best chance at challenging Harris for the nomination. But she too has signalled she won’t throw her hat in the ring.
Whitmer tweeted that her “job in this election will remain the same” after Biden announced he wasn’t seeking reelection.
Whitmer has become a leading voice in the Democratic party and impressively won reelection in Michigan, a battleground state, by double digits in 2022. With her base of support being in a swing state, some have floated Whitmer as a prime candidate for running mate. If so, it would be the first all-woman ticket for U.S. president in history, a potential bonus in an election where women’s reproductive rights are a top issue.
The 52-year-old governor also attracted Biden’s attention in 2020, being vetted as a possible running mate before Biden picked Harris.
Josh Shapiro
While Whitmer has only signalled she won’t challenge Harris, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro has formally endorsed her for President.
“The best path forward for the Democratic Party is to quickly unite behind Vice President Kamala Harris and refocus on winning the presidency,” Shapiro wrote on X, formerly Twitter.
A New York Times poll from May found that Shapiro is particularly popular with Trump supporters in Pennsylvania. Given that he has firm support in one of the most important battleground states of this year’s election, Shapiro has a strong bid for running mate.
The former state’s attorney general has been viewed as a rising star in the party after he took office last year. Shapiro beat out Republican Doug Mastriano in 2022 by a comfortable 12 points to win Pennsylvania’s gubernatorial election.
Other leading Democrats
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear is another Democrat with rare popularity in a traditionally Republican state, carving a successful career in a state that supported Trump by more than 25 points in 2020.
U.S. Senator Mark Kelly is well liked among Democratic Party elites for striking a relatively moderate tone in a hotly contested state that traditionally has favoured Republicans. A former U.S. Navy captain and astronaut, Kelly is also the husband of former Representative Gabrielle Giffords, who was seriously wounded in a 2011 shooting. Gun violence is a major campaign issue for Democrats.
U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg has some of the best name-recognition in the Democratic party after he ran for presidential nomination against both Biden and Harris in 2020. Buttigieg later endorsed Biden and was picked to join the incoming administration’s cabinet in 2021. The former South Bend, Indiana, mayor also has deep ties in Michigan, a critical state for Democrats in November.
Harris’ odds
Harris has maintained a respectable approval rating as vice president and she polls highest among Democrats to replace Biden in the race. She has also been deeply embedded in the existing Democratic campaign, all reasons why she appears to be the natural choice to lead the party in the upcoming election.
If named as the party nominee, Harris stands to take over the money raised by the Biden campaign and inherit the campaign infrastructure, multiple sources told Reuters.
U.S. Representative Jim Clyburn, the Democrat often credited with securing Biden’s nomination in the 2020 presidential race, has endorsed Harris’ campaign.
“I echo the good judgment (Biden) demonstrated in selecting Vice President Harris to lead this nation alongside him, and I am proud to follow his lead in support of her candidacy to succeed him as the Democratic Party’s 2024 nominee for President,” Clyburn wrote.
The optics of passing over Harris for the nomination would not be good for the Democratic party, strategists suggest, as Black and women voters are key to any electoral victory.
Still, the nomination is far from secure. The only thing for certain is that Democrats have limited time to rally behind a candidate who can challenge Trump.
— with files from Reuters