Even though Biden’s withdrawal currently seems unlikely, the names of possible replacement candidates are still being mentioned. An overview:
Kamala Harris
The 59-year-old seems an obvious choice – as Vice President, she would take over the duties of the head of state in the event of Biden’s death. The daughter of a Jamaican father and an Indian mother is a pioneer: she was the first woman to hold the office of Vice President, and no incumbent before Harris was black. A few years earlier, the lawyer had already become the first woman and first black attorney general in her home state of California.
As a prosecutor, Harris has earned a reputation for being tough – something she could use to her advantage in the election campaign, which is likely to focus on immigration and crime. However, some Democrats have also criticized her harsh sentences for child offenders, saying they disproportionately affect minority groups.
However, there is no rule that a vice presidential candidate is also the designated successor as presidential candidate. Former Senator Harris only has pitiful approval ratings, which is why the Democrats could look for another option if the worst comes to the worst.
Photo gallery: Who could replace Joe Biden – A selection of possible candidates
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Gavin Newsom
The name of the governor of California keeps cropping up in discussions about a possible successor to Biden. The 56-year-old was once mayor of San Francisco and has governed the most populous state in the USA for five years. Among other things, he has made California a haven for people seeking abortions. So far, Newsom has always supported Biden – but at the same time he has never made a secret of his own presidential ambitions.
In recent months, Newsom has increased international travel, taken out multiple ads touting his accomplishments, and invested millions in a committee supporting his campaign, fueling speculation that he plans to run for president in 2028 – so why not 2024?
Gretchen Whitmer
Michigan is one of the so-called swing states in which neither the Democrats nor the Republicans can expect a clear victory and which will ultimately be decisive for the outcome of the presidential election on November 5. For supporters of Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, this is a strong argument in favor of the politician’s candidacy.
The 52-year-old is a fierce critic of former President Donald Trump. She is known for having been the target of a planned kidnapping by a right-wing militia. Her state is home to many black and Arab-American voters, as well as many working-class voters – sections of the population that Biden has struggled to woo so far.
Whitmer herself has rejected talk of a candidacy. She said she is “100 percent” behind Biden in the fight against Trump.
Josh Shapiro
Shapiro, 51, governs the largest of the swing states in this year’s presidential race as governor of Pennsylvania. Before taking office as governor in early 2023, Shapiro was twice elected attorney general in Pennsylvania. In that office, he took action against Purdue Pharma, the producer of the highly addictive painkiller Oxycontin. Shapiro is a forceful speaker and an avowed centrist – both qualities that could lead him to seek office at the national level.
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In addition to those mentioned, the names of the governor of Illinois, JB Pritzker, his counterpart in Maryland, Wes Moore, and the governor of Kentucky, Andy Beshear, are circulating. However, the chances of the three governors do not seem particularly good. The names of Senator Amy Klobuchar and US Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg have also already been mentioned in the discussion about a possible successor.
Former First Lady Michelle Obama, who is a shining light for many Democrats, is also mentioned again and again. However, she has consistently stressed in the past that she is not a political person and has never had any interest in the presidency.
