Shortly after the 81-year-old Biden announced he was withdrawing from the 2024 race, Democratic strategists said Vice President Kamala Harris was quickly emerging as Biden’s logical successor.
Meanwhile, Democratic leaders, including Biden himself, are already rallying around Harris, bolstering her position as the presidential successor.
“I think the only practical, logical and ethical thing for us to do at this point is to rally around Kamala Harris,” Joel Rubin, who served as assistant secretary of state for House legislative affairs under the Obama administration, told Fox News Digital.
Rubin said Harris is “vetted and experienced” having already been through much of the Democratic primary process, and noted she will inherit the Biden campaign’s vast infrastructure and $240 million coffers.
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Democratic strategists say Vice President Kamala Harris is shaping up to be President Biden’s successor. (Win McNamee/Getty Images)
“That way nothing gets upset,” Rubin said. Strategist Antjuan Searight agreed, urging Democrats to quickly unify around the vice president so the party can stay “focused on message” for the rest of the election.
“She’s the only person who can take over the operations and finances that we’ve built,” Searight said, “so I think that’s important because, frankly, 14 million voters have made a definitive statement about these two people. And no matter what the circumstances, if it comes down to two minus one, she’s the one.”
Harris’ support is also bolstered by the backing of former President Bill Clinton, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) and the Congressional Black Caucus.
“We join millions of Americans in thanking President Biden for all he has accomplished, standing up for America time and time again, always with the country’s best interests in mind,” the Clintons said in a joint statement. “We are honored to join the president in endorsing Vice President Harris, and we will do everything we can to support her.”
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Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and her husband, former US President Bill Clinton, have endorsed Harris. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
Biden had been under increasing pressure from his Democratic colleagues to withdraw from the 2024 presidential race after his disastrous showing at last month’s CNN presidential debate. Biden’s weak performance raised concerns among his supporters about whether he was mentally and physically fit to continue campaigning and serve another four years.
Jim Kessler, a former senior aide to Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York, said Harris’ endorsement by Biden was “significant” in solidifying her position as his successor.
“I think Harris has the edge no matter which Democrat enters the race,” Kessler told Fox News Digital. “And remember, these are Biden and Harris delegates who are going to the convention, and the convention delegates have a very strong loyalty to Joe Biden and Kamala Harris.”
“I can’t predict whether other Democrats will enter the race, but she’s in an overwhelmingly strong position heading into the convention… This is a Biden-Harris administration, people are voting for the Biden-Harris candidate, and she’s been campaigning.”
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President Biden has announced that he is withdrawing from the 2024 presidential race. (Hannah Beyer/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Other Democrats, including Sen. Jon Tester (D-Mont.), Sen. Pete Welch (D-Vermont) and Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.), have also said they support holding a “mini-primary” to choose a new candidate.
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Harris herself has indicated her intention to follow in Biden’s footsteps and expressed gratitude for the endorsement.
“I am honored to receive the President’s endorsement, and my intention is to seek and win this nomination. Over the past year, I have traveled the country speaking to Americans about the clear choice in this crucial election, and in the days and weeks ahead, I will continue to do so. I will do everything in my power to unite the Democratic Party, unite the country, and defeat Donald Trump and his extreme Project 2025 agenda,” Harris said in a campaign statement. “There are 107 days until Election Day. We will fight united. And we will win united.”
