CNN Central News & Network–ITDC India Epress/ITDC News Bhopal: For President Joe Biden, the first presidential debate did not turn out as he would have wanted. His main goal was to put the concerns about his age to rest. However, Biden’s performance against former President Donald Trump only deepened them.
This has added fuel to chatter regarding Biden stepping aside, and finding his replacement. Biden is yet to be officially confirmed as a nominee for the presidential race.
Here is a look at five Democrats who can replace Biden.
- Kamala Harris
The 59-year-old Vice President seems to be an obvious choice — she will automatically become President once Biden chooses to step aside. But the issue is that her approval ratings are abysmal. “She has been widely criticised for not carving out her own role in the Biden administration,” according to a report by The Guardian. As a result, experts believe that she would struggle against Trump.
- Gretchen Whitmer
There are some speculations that Michigan Governor Whitmer, 52, can also replace Biden. She has served in the Michigan House of Representatives from 2001 to 2006, and in the Michigan Senate from 2006 to 2015. Whitmer became the governor of Michigan for the first time in 2019, and secured her bid for re-election in 2022. “She has been in favour of stricter gun laws, repealing abortion bans and backing universal preschool,” the Guardian report said.
- Gavin Newsom
Another candidate is California Governor Gavin Newsom, 56, who has earlier served as lieutenant governor of California, and mayor of San Francisco. His support for Democrats in elections outside California sparked rumours last year that he was running a “shadow campaign” for the White House. However, after the Biden vs Trump debate ended on Thursday, Newsom downplayed the talks of him replacing Trump. He told the reporters that he was “very proud of the president.”
- J B Pritzker
Illinois Governor J B Pritzker, 59, also has been regularly listed as a potential Biden alternative. He is ambitious, and one of the wealthiest among the probable substitutes listed here — Pritzker’s family owns the Hyatt hotel chain. During his term as the governor of Illinois, he codified the right to abortion in the state, and declared it a “sanctuary state” for women seeking abortions.
- Josh Shapiro
Josh Shapiro has been the governor of Pennsylvania since 2022. He has served four terms in the state’s House of Representatives and later two terms as commissioner of Montgomery County. According to a Franklin & Marshall College poll from April 2024, he has 54% approval in the state, including approval from 29% of registered Republicans, Financial Times reported.
- Dean Phillips
Minnesota congressman Dean Phillips launched a long-shot presidential primary challenge against Biden earlier this year. Although he gained some support, he failed to appeal to the border party. As a result, Philips later dropped out of the race. If Biden decides to step aside, it is unlikely that Philips would be among the top contenders to replace him.