(WFLA/NEXSTAR) — President Joe Biden has announced that he is dropping out of the 2024 race following calls from former supporters and high-ranking Democrats that he step aside to allow another candidate to challenge former President Donald Trump for the White House.
Biden, in previous weeks, had insisted he would continue his campaign, despite concerns over his age and mental acuity. Primary ballots around the nation have already been cast, too, and the Democratic National Convention is just around the corner.
So what happens now that Biden has dropped out?
Since President Biden withdrew ahead of the formal nomination, scheduled to take place during a virtual roll call in early August ahead of the Democratic National Convention, it means that the 3,900 or so pledged delegates would meet at the convention to cast their ballots for a new nominee.
Biden has formally endorsed his vice president, Kamala Harris, to become the Democratic Party’s nominee as he announced he would not seek reelection.
“Today I want to offer my full support and endorsement for Kamala to be the nominee of our party this year. Democrats — it’s time to come together and beat Trump. Let’s do this,” he wrote in part on X.
Harris stands as the party’s instant favorite to win the nomination during August’s Democratic National Convention in Chicago. She is also the only candidate who can directly tap into the Biden campaign’s war chest under federal campaign finance rules.
She is not, however, guaranteed a smooth road to the party’s nomination.
Does Kamala Harris become the Democratic nominee?
While Biden has endorsed Harris, he cannot pass the nearly 3,900 delegates who pledged to support him earlier this year.
Now, the Democratic party is on track to have an open convention in August. That means those roughly 3,900 would get to cast their ballots for a different nominee.
If a candidate wins a simple majority, that person becomes the new Democratic nominee. If one candidate is not agreed on, then the “superdelegates” would also vote.
Under party rules, pledged delegates are basically required to vote for the candidate chosen by voters. Unpledged delegates, or “superdelegates,” are free to support the candidate of their choosing.
There are nearly 740 such superdelegates, according to Ballotpedia. The superdelegates plus the pledged delegates will all continue to hold votes until a candidate receives a winning majority.
There may be a virtual delegate vote before the convention, Tara Newsom, a professor at St. Petersburg College told WFLA’s JB Biunno on Sunday. She notes, however, that any candidates who want to vie for an open convention may push for that instead.
“Sometimes you need to burn the house down to rebuild,” Newsom said while discussing an open convention.
As of Sunday, it remains to be seen whether other candidates would challenge Harris or how the party may need to adjust its rules again to smooth Harris’ nomination on the floor.
In a statement released Sunday, Harris said she intends “to earn and win this nomination” while nothing she is “honored to have the President’s endorsement.”
More information on the delegation selection process is available at the Democratic Party website.
The Democratic National Convention will take place Aug. 19–22 in Chicago, Illinois.
“This summer, Democrats will come together to build on our progress, lay out what’s at stake in this election, and unite around our shared values of democracy and freedom to create a future for all Americans,” reads a message that was posted to the DNC’s website.