ATLANTA (AP) — Now that President Joe Biden has announced he will not seek reelection and has endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris, Democrats are gearing up for their convention in Chicago from August 19 to 22. What was supposed to be a coronation for the current president is now turning into an unprecedented, open contest, in which nearly 4,700 delegates will be responsible for choosing a new nominee to face Republican Donald Trump in the fall.
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The path ahead is neither easy nor obvious, even if Biden endorses Harris. There are unanswered questions about logistics, money, and political consequences.
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Will Biden be able to redirect his delegates?
Biden won all the state primaries and caucuses earlier this year and only lost the territory of American Samoa. At least 3,896 delegates had pledged their support to him, enough to secure the nomination.
The current rules of the party do not allow Biden to pass them on to another candidate. However, politically his endorsement could have an influence.
What could happen at the convention?
With Biden stepping aside, the Democrats technically begin with an open convention. But, realistically, their support throws the Democrats into murky territory.
The immediate burden falls on Harris to solidify the support of nearly 4,000 delegates from states, territories, and the District of Columbia, in addition to more than 700 of the so-called superdelegates that include party leaders, certain elected officials, former presidents, and former vice presidents.
Will anyone challenge Harris?
Even before Biden announced his decision, Democrats had put forward California Governor Gavin Newsom and Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer as possible contenders in addition to Harris. However, some Democrats argued publicly, and many privately, that it will be a no-brainer to bring the first woman, the first Black woman, and the first person of South Asian descent to the presidency.
Given the importance of black voters - especially black women - in nominating Biden and choosing Harris as his running mate, it would be risky, to say the least, for the Democrats to overlook her in favor of a white candidate like Newsom and Whitmer.
What is happening with Biden's campaign money?
Biden's campaign recently reported having $91 million in cash. The Democratic Allied campaign committees raised the total at their disposal to over $240 million.
Campaign finance experts generally agree that Harris could control all of those funds since the campaign was created in both her and Biden's names. If the Democrats nominate someone other than Harris, the party's accounts could still benefit the candidate, but the Biden-Harris account would have more restrictions.
Can Republicans keep Harris off state ballots?
Any unexpected change during a US presidential campaign will surely trigger a flood of state and federal lawsuits in this hyperpartisan era, and some conservatives have threatened to do just that.
However, state laws typically do not prescribe how parties choose their presidential candidates. And some figures from the Republican Party — Ohio Governor Mike DeWine and Alabama Governor Kay Ivey — have already worked this year to ensure that their party did not deny Democrats routine access to the ballots.