- Biden endorses Harris for president
- Whitmer, Newsom, Buttigieg support Harris
- Delegates to confirm nominee at DNC
US President Joe Biden announced on Sunday that he will not seek re-election and that his vice president, Kamala Harris, should take his place.
He wrote on X. Democrats, it’s time to band together and defeat Trump. I want to offer my entire support and endorsement for Kamala as our party’s nominee this year.
Ms Harris taking over appears likely, but it is not a done deal.
Several other candidates were mentioned as possible replacements for Mr Biden, but Ms Harris won. If the endorsement is made official, a running companion will be needed.
Delegates will vote next month at the Democratic National Convention to officially confirm Mr Biden’s successor and vice-presidential candidate.
The following names could be in the running.
Michigan’s Governor Gretchen Whitmer
Gretchen Whitmer, Michigan’s two-term governor, is an immensely popular Midwest Democrat many analysts believe will run for president in 2028.
She had previously campaigned for Mr Biden and has been open about her political ambitions.
She told The New York Times that she hopes to see a Generation X president in 2028 but did not say if she would take that job.
In 2022, she led a campaign for Michigan Democrats to take control of the legislature and the governor’s palace.
This enabled her to enact a variety of progressive policies, such as protecting Michigan’s abortion access and passing gun safety legislation.
After Mr Biden’s resignation, Ms Whitmer promptly indicated that her duty “will remain the same… doing everything I can to elect Democrats and stop Donald Trump.
California Governor Gavin Newsom
California’s governor is one of the Biden administration’s most fervent supporters.
He is frequently mentioned as a potential 2028 candidate, but many Democratic experts have speculated that he may be in the running to succeed Mr Biden.
Mr. Newsom has enhanced his national image in recent years as a significant party messenger on conservative media and through a debate with Florida Governor Ron DeSantis last year.
He stood behind the president before the announcement. In July, he travelled to Washington to meet with Mr Biden and other prominent Democratic governors and headlined a Biden campaign event in Michigan on July 4.
Following Mr Biden’s retirement, Mr Newsom commended him as a “selfless” president and stated that he supports the “fearless” and “tenacious” Ms Harris in her fight against Trump.
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg
It is no secret that Pete Buttigieg has presidential ambitions.
He ran in 2020 and is regarded as one of the Biden administration’s most effective communicators.
Mr Buttigieg oversaw several public scandals during his tenure as transportation secretary.
He oversaw the government’s reaction to the East Palestine train catastrophe in Ohio, the Baltimore Bridge collapse, and Southwest Airlines’ scheduling issue in 2022.
On Twitter/X, Mr Buttigieg added that Mr Biden had “earned his place among the best and most consequential presidents in American history”.
He said he would do “all that I can to help elect Kamala Harris as the next President”.
Josh Shapiro, Pennsylvania Governor
Josh Shapiro has received excellent approval ratings since being elected in 2022 in a swing state that Trump narrowly won in 2016.
The governor, who previously served as the state’s attorney general, has worked across political lines during his term.
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He gained national headlines last year for promptly replacing a collapsed bridge on a critical Philadelphia roadway, a significant political win for a first-term governor.
Many saw the fast repair as the ideal infrastructure talking point for a future 2028 presidential candidate.
Mr Shapiro stated that Mr Biden was one of the “most consequential presidents in modern history” and that he would “do everything I can to help elect Kamala Harris as the 47th President of the United States.
J.B. Pritzker, Illinois Governor
JB Pritzker, the governor of Illinois, has enhanced his image in recent years by criticizing Trump and backing Joe Biden.
The millionaire businessman, heir to the Hyatt hotel chain, is eager to criticize Trump on social media.
Following the debate, he referred to Trump as a “liar” and a “34-count convicted felon who cares only about himself”.
Mr Pritzker, like Ms Whitmer, has a track record of carrying out progressive Democrats’ agenda items on subjects such as abortion rights and gun control.
He stated that Mr. Biden had “one of the most accomplished and effective presidencies of our lifetime”. He has not said who should succeed him.
