As calls grow from members of Congress and political leaders for President Joe Biden to step aside in the 2024 election, timing could be of the essence ahead of next month's Democratic National Convention.
Will Joe Biden Step Aside?: New reports suggest Biden could step aside by July 21, opening the door for the Democratic Party to select a new candidate to go head-to-head with Donald Trump in the 2024 election.
While the calls for Biden to step aside grow alongside reports of White House discussions, Biden's team threw cold water on the idea Friday.
"Absolutely the president is in the race," Biden-Harris Campaign Chair Jen O'Malley Dillon said on "Morning Joe" Friday.
Dillon said Trump is offering nothing new to the American people.
"Joe Biden is more committed than ever to beat Donald Trump."
O'Malley Dillon said the campaign has a lot of work to do to reassure Americans that Biden is the right person and acknowledged facing pressure from voters over the president's age.
"People are not moving from Joe Biden to Donald Trump."
O'Malley Dillon said voters are unsure or uncertain, but confirmed Biden is remaining in the race.
"He's absolutely in it."
Pressure Grows: Over 20 Democratic members of Congress have called on Biden to step down in the election, along with several members like Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) who are reportedly privately encouraging him to explore his options.
Pelosi reportedly showed Biden the polls and demonstrated that he couldn't defeat Trump in the 2024 election. The former House speaker also warned Biden that a failure to step aside could hurt the party's chances of winning seats in the House and Senate.
On Thursday, Sen. Jon Tester (D-Mont.) became the second Democratic senator to call for Biden to withdraw from the election, as reported by The Hill.
"Montanans have put their trust in me to do what is right, and it is a responsibility I take seriously. I have worked with President Biden when it has made Montana stronger, and I've never been afraid to stand up to him when he is wrong," Tester said in a statement.
Investor and entrepreneur Jason Calacanis suggested that people are now picking Trump in the 2024 election because the Democratic Party put a candidate who is "clearly in cognitive decline" in the race.
"This election starts with the speed run primary," Calacanis tweeted.
Investor and entrepreneur Mark Cuban replied that it's not too late for the Democrats to move.
"The trade deadline has not passed," Cuban said.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) also reportedly met with Biden and encouraged him to end his re-election bid in private conversations.
What Happens Next: If Biden chooses to exit the 2024 presidential election, the most likely replacement would be Vice President Kamala Harris. This isn't a foregone conclusion, and a process is still needed to select the replacement candidate.
A new candidate would officially be selected at the Democratic National Convention, which begins Aug. 19. The Democratic National Committee is considering a virtual roll call the first week of August to select its nominee, according to the Washington Post.
The Democratic Party has not had an open convention since 1968, an idea it would likely try to avoid with a rally of support behind a replacement candidate.
At the convention, a first round of delegates, around 3,900 voters, will vote on the nominee. If a majority is not reached, around 700 superdelegates, who are party leaders and elected officials, will vote in subsequent rounds along with the delegates until a nominee is selected.
If Biden does not step aside before the Democratic National Convention, he would likely be selected by the delegates due to the outcome of the primary elections. After the convention, Biden could only be replaced if he dies, resigns or suffers a disability.
Under that circumstance, Democratic National Committee Chair Jaime Harrison would meet with top congressional Democrats and Democratic governors to decide a replacement, according to the Washington Post.
Who Replaces Biden?: One of the biggest reasons to select Harris as the nominee along with her name familiarity could be the campaign funds raised. Most reports say that Harris would have access to the money raised for Biden as her name also appears on the official campaign paperwork.
Failure to pick Harris could also create division in the Democratic Party, which comes with the Republican Party showing unity at the RNC with former Trump foes speaking out in support.
Among the names thrown out in recent months as potential replacements to Biden are Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, California Gov. Gavin Newsom, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, Pete Buttigieg, Michelle Obama and Hillary Clinton.
A recent Emerson College poll showed Harris with the closest head-to-head matchup against Trump, trailing by six points. Shapiro trailed by eight points, but was the candidate in the poll to see Trump get the lowest percent of votes with many undecided.
A Morning Consult head-to-head poll showed Harris trailing Trump by only one point and ranking more favorably than Biden among key demographics of young voters, Black voters and Hispanic voters.
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