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Who will replace President Joe Biden after he dropped out of the 2024 presidential race on Sunday? In the moments following the major announcement, questions surfaced about who could become the party’s new nominee, with much speculation surrounding Vice President Kamala Harris.
Biden – as expected – threw his endorsement behind Harris, writing on social media, “…Democrats — it’s time to come together and beat Trump. Let’s do this.”
Among the potential candidates, the former U.S. Senator from California was considered best positioned to replace him.
Harris would have a head start over several of the most discussed Democratic alternatives. She’s already been on a winning presidential ticket with Biden, has years of goodwill banked with core party constituencies and would likely control a huge campaign fund amassed by the Biden reelection.
READ: President Joe Biden’s full letter on not seeking reelection
A number of delegates have already suggested they’d be loyal to Harris.
“Harris makes the most sense to carry on the Biden legacy,” said Andrew Feldman, a Democratic strategist who works closely with various state parties.
In an interview earlier this week, Feldman added the Biden administration’s agenda “has been tremendously popular in terms of the issues that they’ve championed” and the president and Harris have “been doing that in partnership.”
A recent poll, conducted prior to Biden’s announcement, from the AP-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research found that about 6 in 10 Democrats believe Kamala Harris would do a good job in the top slot. About 2 in 10 Democrats don’t believe she would, and another 2 in 10 say they don’t know enough to say.
Alvin Tillery, director of the Center for the Study of Diversity and Democracy at Northwestern University and a Democratic pollster, previously said Harris is the only candidate with the name recognition required to compete against Trump.
“[Of the] five other successor candidates, only one has the name recognition to win nationally: Kamala Harris,” Tillery told NBC Chicago.
Here’s a look at some of the other top names who could replace Biden on the ticket:
Gavin Newsom
California Gov. Gavin Newsom has been one of the top names consistently thrown out as a potential replacement outside of Harris.
Newsom, a big-state governor with big ambitions who is as comfortable talking policy as he is mixing it up with leading Republicans, emerged as President Joe Biden’s most prominent battleground-state soldier.
He has also brushed aside questions about whether he would seek the party’s nomination at next month’s national convention should Biden leave the race.
But he may not have the name recognition like Harris.
The poll from the AP-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research found that Newsom is seen, overall, slightly more negatively than positively.
About one-third of Democrats say Newsom would make a good president, and half don’t know enough to say.
Former New Hampshire State House Speaker Steve Shurtleff said he’s “very impressed” by Newsom and sees him as top-tier presidential prospect. But Shurtleff, once Biden’s chief supporter in the state, now believes the president must step aside and wondered aloud whether Newsom is picking the wrong side in what he described as “a profile-in-courage moment” for party leaders.
“He’s shown that he’s been very loyal to the president and the administration. And that, I think, could hurt him,” Shurtleff said of Newsom.
J.B. Pritzker
Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker has also been floated among the potential replacement candidates, particularly after he received a high-profile endorsement from actor George Clooney.
The Hollywood star and major Democratic donor, in an op-ed published in the New York Times, floated Pritzker as a potential contender for the ticket.
Clooney also said the party should hear from Vice President Kamala Harris, California Gov. Gavin Newsom and several others.
Pritzker has repeatedly said his belief is that Biden is the best candidate for the party in 2024.
“I’m supporting Joe Biden and Kamala Harris for president. I’m going to work my tail off to make sure that they win,” he said.
The Illinois governor has been an active fundraiser for Democrats, and continues to appear at events across multiple states as he aims to build his national profile.
His wealth also makes him a particularly intriguing candidate for the ticket, as he is currently America’s wealthiest elected official and has previously used his money to bolster his campaign.
Gretchen Whitmer
Democrats circulated several high-profile names as potential presidential alternatives, including Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, the co-chair of the Biden-Harris campaign.
Whitmer, however, shut down the possibility of stepping into the race this year in an interview with The Associated Press before a book launch earlier this month.
When asked if she would consider becoming a candidate this year if Biden were to step down, she responded with a definitive, “No.”
“It’s a distraction more than anything,” said Whitmer. “I don’t like seeing my name in articles like that because I’m totally focused on governing and campaigning for the ticket.”
Her swift ascent over two decades — from law school graduate to Michigan’s governor — has established her as a prominent figure within the Democratic Party.
Her status was solidified in 2022 with a decisive reelection and her party’s success in flipping both chambers of the state legislature, granting Democrats full control for the first time in nearly four decades.
Josh Shapiro
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro has also been part of the replacement debate, though he has previously said he would continue to back Biden for the nomination.
He’s also the governor of an important swing state for Democrats in 2024.
Two swing districts in a swing county may very well decide which party controls the House in the swing state of Pennsylvania, one of several where pivotal legislative battles are playing out in the shadow of the presidential campaign.
Shapiro has maintained his support for Biden following the debate performance that sparked initial election concerns.
Shapiro acknowledged that Biden had a bad debate, but said it doesn’t change the fact that Trump was a bad president. Democrats, including Biden, need to be crisper in delivering that message, he told CNN at the time.
“I would say to all those folks who are out there worrying right now, ‘start working and stop worrying,’” Shapiro said.
Other names to note
This list mentions only some of the high-profile names being discussed, and some could be considered for other roles on the ticket, such as vice president.
A few other names that are worth mentioning include: Maryland Gov. Wes Moore, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz.