Who will replace Biden?

TEHRAN (defapress) - According to several reasons, Democrats preferred to replace him. Some of these reasons are: 

Aging concerns: Biden will be 82 years old by the time of the 2024 election, which raises concerns about his ability to campaign and perform the demands of the presidency for another term.

Low poll numbers: Biden's approval ratings have been sagging in recent months, which may make it challenging for him to win re-election.

Limited fundraising: The Democratic National Committee (DNC) has been struggling to raise funds for the party, partly due to concerns about Biden's ability to win.

Based on these reasons, Biden announced his decision in a surprise letter Sunday, later endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris for the nomination.

Kamala Harris is the most obvious, de facto pick for a Biden replacement on the general election ticket, as her national name recognition gives her an advantage over other potential Biden replacements who would have to work expeditiously to familiarize voters in a truncated campaign; she could also seamlessly begin using Biden’s campaign cash since she’s already on the ticket.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s political activity, including his support for Democrats in elections outside of California, prompted rumors last year he was running a “shadow campaign” for the White House (Newsom, like Harris and most of the other contenders, dismissed the idea and pledged loyalty to Biden before Sunday).

Other Democratic governors who have elevated their national profiles—Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, Colorado Gov. Jared Polis, and Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro—are also regularly listed as potential Biden alternatives, especially after all four won gubernatorial races by double digits in 2022.

JB Pritzker, the 59-year-old governor of Illinois would be one of the wealthiest of possible picks. He can flourish his credentials of having codified the right to abortion in Illinois and declaring it a “sanctuary state” for women seeking abortions. He has also been strong on gun control and legalized recreational marijuana.

Gretchen Whitmer, the Michigan governor, 52, was on the shortlist for VP pick for Biden in 2020, and a strong showing in the midterms for the Democratic party was in part attributed to her governorship. She has been in favor of stricter gun laws, repealing abortion bans, and backing universal preschool.

Josh Shapiro, the Democratic governor of Pennsylvania has been a rising political star in this crucial swing state for years but shot to national prominence in fall 2022 when, as state attorney general, he won the gubernatorial race over an extreme Trumpist Republican. His name has been on lips of late and the reckoning since Biden stepped aside is if Harris wins the nomination, Shapiro would be a strong pick as her running mate. Alison Dagnes, a professor of political science at Shippensburg University in southcentral Pennsylvania, told the USA Today media network that Shapiro generating buzz because he’s shrewd, tech-savvy, and a proven winner in the battleground state with the most electoral college votes.

Joe Manchin, the center-right West Virginia senator, has been considering running for the Democratic nomination for years. He has served in the Senate since 2010 and is chair of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee. He has worked hard to shore up his support in West Virginia, while often being outspokenly critical of the Democratic party. Facing a tough re-election race, Manchin announced last year he would not seek another term in the US Senate, and he left the Democratic party in May to register as an independent. On Sunday, reports emerged he was considering re-registering as a Democrat and challenging Harris.

An advisor to Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), who is a year older than Biden, said in a 2022 memo he hadn’t ruled out a run for president in 2024 in the event of an open primary (Sanders previously urged Democrats to “stop the bickering and nit-picking” of Biden in a July 13 New York Times op-ed).

Former Democratic presidential candidates, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and Sens. Cory Booker, D-N.J., and Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., are also among the names commonly floated to replace Biden; none had expressed a desire to run in place of Biden, and Booker defended Biden publicly, while Klobuchar had expressed concerns about the future of his candidacy.

Democratic primary contender Rep. Dean Phillips (D-Minn.) ran against Biden in the 2024 primary, largely focusing on Biden’s age, but he received little support before dropping out.

Also, the unfounded theory that Democrats could elevate Michelle Obama as their 2024 nominee has been circulating for years, as polls have shown she has high favorability ratings. But Obama has said repeatedly she will never run for president and doesn’t want the job.

Yet still there isn't exact information on which of them will be chosen, but Democrats must hurry because time is passing for making propaganda new Democratic nominee in the 2024 presidential election.