Washington — The top of the Democratic ticket is up for grabs after President Biden rocked the political sphere by announcing Sunday he is dropping out of the 2024 race.
Shortly after announcement, Mr. Biden backed Vice President Kamala Harris for the Democratic nomination, while senior members of the Democratic National Committee were holding an emergency meeting Sunday night.
Even though Mr. Biden threw his support behind Harris, Democrats will have to consolidate behind her and there are a number of other possible contenders. None of them have publicly announced they are seeking the nomination, and one prominent Democrat, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, said “my job in this election will remain the same.”
Here are the possible contenders for the Democratic nomination, and many of these lawmakers could be considered frontrunners to become the vice president.
Vice President Kamala Harris
Harris, 59, would be the most natural pick, experts have told CBS News. Not only is she the current vice president, but she’s also the first female vice president and first vice president of color, and it would be hard for the Democratic Party to deny her more firsts.
“I think Harris would be the default option because she is the vice president and is the presumptive vice presidential nominee,” said Derek Muller, a law professor at the University of Notre Dame who specializes in election law, before the news of Mr. Biden stepping aside.
That doesn’t mean Harris will automatically replace Mr. Biden. Harris struggles even more than Mr. Biden in polling, particularly in swing states. And since she hasn’t appeared on the ballot in 2024, from a legal standpoint, she bears no more weight than any other Democrat.
Gov. Gavin Newsom (California)
Curiosity has swirled for years about Newsom’s presidential ambitions, as the governor of the nation’s most populous state has courted a national profile and often positioned himself as the party’s liberal fighter. Newsom, 56, faced off with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis in a debate in December, when DeSantis was still seeking the Republican nomination, in a matchup that was billed as a proxy debate over two visions for the country.
But leading up to the 2024 race, Newsom repeatedly indicated that he had “sub-zero” interest in entering the contest. That could change should Mr. Biden choose to leave the race. But California’s liberal policies could hinder Newsom from seeing widespread support in a general election.
After Mr. Biden’s announcement, Newsom posted a statement on social media praising Mr. Biden’s leadershp and called him a “history-making president.”
“He will go down in history as one of the most impactful and selfless presidents,” Newsom said.
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (Michigan)
Whitmer’s name has been widely floated as a possible replacement since the president’s debate. The 52-year-old won reelection by double digits in the battleground state in 2022, while helping to secure a Democratic trifecta in the state, and has since become a leading voice among the party. Whitmer centered reproductive rights in her reelection effort, and has pushed Mr. Biden to lean more strongly into the issue this year.
After Mr. Biden’s announcement, Whitmer posted on social media that “my job in this election will remain the same: doing everything I can to elect Democrats and stop Donald Trump, a convicted felon whose agenda of raising families’ costs, banning abortion nationwide, and abusing the power of the White House to settle his own scores is completely wrong for Michigan.”
Gov. J.B. Pritzker (Illinois)
Pritzker, 59, has been considered a rising star within the party, becoming a strong voice on issues like gun control and reproductive rights. With deep pockets, Pritzker’s ability to self-fund a last minute campaign could make him an appealing choice for the party. But like Newsom, his liberal policies in the deep-blue state could hinder his ability to connect with voters in the general election.
Gov. Andy Beshear (Kentucky)
Beshear, 46, enjoys rare popularity as a Democrat in a red state. The son of former Gov. Steve Beshear, he overcame GOP dominance in the state last year to win reelection. He’s successfully distanced himself from mainstream Democrats, building his own political brand that could make him more favorable than others in the party in a general election.
Beshear said after the debate that he will continue to support the president “so long as he continues to be in the race.”
Gov. Wes Moore (Maryland)
Moore is another rising star among the party. And his national profile rose in recent months as he led Maryland’s response to the Baltimore bridge collapse. The 45-year-old, who’s the youngest Democratic governor in the country and the only Black governor, has been a surrogate for the president’s reelection, campaigning around the country. And Moore said he will continue to support the president and “will not” seek the Democratic nomination this year should the president leave the race.
But as anyone in politics knows, a “no” doesn’t always stay a “no.”
Sen. Amy Klobuchar (Minnesota)
Klobuchar also sought the Democratic nomination in 2020, and would likely find a similar base of support as Mr. Biden. And while Klobuchar, 64, would be free of the age concerns that have plagued Mr. Biden, she struggled to build energy around her candidacy in the last election.
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg
Buttigieg, 42, has already been vetted on the national stage, after running for president in 2020.
The Indiana native has proven he can speak to both Democrats and Republicans, being one of the few Democratic elected officials to make appearances on Fox News.
Buttigieg and his husband, Chasten, have twins who turn 3 in August.
Gov. Josh Shapiro (Pennsylvania)
Shapiro, 51, gained notoriety for besting a far-right opponent in the state’s 2022 governor’s race, allowing the party to hold on to the governor’s mansion and becoming the first to succeed a member of his own party as governor in nearly six decades. Since then, the governor of the key battleground state has navigated a divided government in the state legislature, and has become known as a …
Sen. Raphael Warnock (Georgia)
The senator from Georgia and pastor, 54, won two close races in the Peach State, cementing the Democratic majority in the Senate and becoming a darling of the party in the process.
Gov. Jared Polis (Colorado)
Polis, 49, has served as Colorado’s governor since 2019 and is among the nation’s most popular. He represented the state’s 2nd District in Congress for a decade and also served on the Colorado Board of Education.
He took the helm of the National Governors Association in July.
Gov. Roy Cooper (North Carolina)
Cooper assumed the post of North Carolina’s 75th governor in 2017 and is currently serving his second term. He practiced law for nearly two decades and served in the state’s House and Senate before he was elected attorney general in 2000.
Cooper, 67, was North Carolina’s chief law enforcement officer for four terms.
Howard Dean, former chairman of the Democratic National Committee, told CNN that he could see Cooper as a running mate for Harris if she becomes the party’s presidential nominee. Such a pairing could help Democrats win the Tar Heel state in November, he predicted.