Mississippi Democratic Rep. Bennie Thompson said not selecting Vice President Kamala Harris as his new nominee would be a “death sentence” for the Democratic Party if President Biden leaves office.
Following the first presidential debate, calls have grown for Biden to withdraw from the race and nominate a new candidate, with several candidates other than the vice president being mentioned as possible successors.
Thompson called Harris “incredibly strong” and suggested she was the only Democrats’ alternative to Biden in 2024.
“You can’t say she’s done a good job without saying Biden has done a good job,” Thompson told Axios, adding that choosing a nominee other than Harris “would be fatal for the party.”
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Vice President Kamala Harris was widely mocked for her appearance at the Black Entertainment Television Awards on Sunday night, where she was accused of “pandering.” (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
Amid calls for an alternative to Biden in the 2024 presidential election, many Democrats have said they would support Harris if a new nominee were selected.
Rep. James Clyburn, D.C., recently said he would support Harris if Biden were to withdraw.
“Whether she’s in second place or first place, we should be doing everything we can to root for her,” Clyburn told MSNBC during Biden’s debate backlash.
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“If Biden steps down, I’ll support her,” Clyburn said, “but I will continue to support her at some point. I want this race to remain Biden-Harris. We’ll see what happens after the next election.”
Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-Mississippi) attends the House Homeland Security Committee hearing, “Midwest Chaos: How Secretary Mayorkas’ Failure of Leadership Has Impacted the States,” at the Capitol in Washington, DC on January 10, 2024. (Kent Nishimura/Getty Images)
Rep. Summer Lee (D-Pennsylvania), a member of the progressive “Squad,” said Harris is Biden’s “clear” successor.
“If the president decides this is not the way forward, we have to act quickly. There is no time for a primary. That time has passed,” Lee said Wednesday on “Mornings with Zerlina.” “The vice president is the obvious choice. She’s right up there.”
President Biden took the stage with former President Trump at the first presidential debate of the 2024 election season, held at CNN Studios in Atlanta on June 27, 2024. (Kevin D. Lyles for The Washington Post via Getty Images)
Possible candidates to replace Biden include California Governor Gavin Newsom, Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg.
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As speculation rages over who would be best suited to succeed Biden in the 2024 presidential election, a new CNN poll finds that Harris would perform better than Biden in a hypothetical matchup against Trump.
