The Democratic race for the White House has been thrown into disarray following President Joe Biden’s announcement on Sunday, July 21st, that he will not seek re-election. Currently, Vice President Kamala Harris is the sole declared candidate and the most likely prospect. However, the choice of her potential running mate is far from straightforward, with some Democrats advocating for fresh leadership.
In Atlanta’s suburbs, reactions among Democratic Party members have been mixed. While many party officials anticipated Biden’s announcement, some, like Jorge Granados, president of the Young Democrats of Gwinnett County, lament the timing. Granados believes the announcement should have come sooner, noting, “It’s practically too late now. The Democratic convention is just around the corner, and so is the November election,” he told our correspondent in Atlanta, Edward Maille.
Ravi Batra, another party leader, acknowledges that nominating Kamala Harris to succeed Joe Biden would be understandable but expresses a preference for a new candidate. “A fresh candidate would bring new energy just before the election. It could help connect with younger voters, which might be what the Democratic Party needs to rally the youth,” he opined.
Despite these concerns, only half of the group believes Biden’s withdrawal will lead to a Democratic victory in the upcoming November election.
Former President Barack Obama, while acknowledging Kamala Harris as the frontrunner, stops short of offering his full endorsement. Instead, he advocates for an open primary at the Democratic convention set to commence on August 19 in Chicago. Typically, the Democratic Party coalesces around a single candidate well before the convention. Up until Sunday, that candidate was Joe Biden, the primary winner.
“Joe Biden has been one of the most significant American presidents and a dear friend and partner. I have immense faith that our party’s leaders will facilitate a process from which an exceptional candidate will emerge,” Obama wrote, notably omitting any mention of Harris.
Despite their well-documented rapport and regular contact over the years—dating back to Harris’s early support for Obama’s 2008 campaign when she was the San Francisco District Attorney—Obama’s reluctance to endorse Harris outright raises questions.
David Axelrod, Obama’s former chief strategist, offers a potential explanation on CNN. He supports the idea of an open primary and suggests that Harris might not be the best candidate to win crucial Midwestern states such as Michigan, Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania. These predominantly white, working-class states are considered essential for a presidential victory, with Donald Trump currently leading in these areas.