Here’s what the ‘next generation’ Democrats being floated to replace Biden on the presidential ticket are saying
With controversy raging over President Biden’s disastrous performance during Thursday’s presidential debate, some Democrats are calling for the president to be replaced as the presidential nominee starting in November.
Several party members have reiterated to DailyMail.com that the decision to resign lies solely with the president and that the Democrats cannot remove him.
More than a handful of Democratic officials are being floated as possible replacements should the 81-year-old commander in chief announce he will not seek re-election after all.
Some of the names that have emerged in the days since the debate include Vice President Kamala Harris, California Governor Gavin Newsom, Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear, Illinois Governor JB Pritzker and Senator Raphael Warnock.
But now, all the names being bandied about as possible replacements for the Democratic presidential nominee have risen up in revolt, closing ranks around the president.
Here’s what they have to say about the possibility of Biden being replaced:
Vice President Kamala Harris
Vice President Kamala Harris was one of the first Democrats to defend President Biden after Thursday’s debate.
She appeared on CNN immediately after the debate, where she admitted the president had had a rough start but argued he had finished the debate better.
“Yes, it started off slow, but it ended strong,” she told host Anderson Cooper. “And what became very clear as the evening went on is that Joe Biden is fighting on behalf of the American people.”
Vice President Kamala Harris has defended Biden amid the fallout from his debate performance, both on television and during the campaign. She appeared at a campaign event in Nevada after the debate
Harris has appeared in multiple interviews defending Biden after the debate, saying he was the only candidate on the debate stage who had the support of his vice president.
After the debate, Harris campaigned in Nevada to drum up support for Biden.
Governor Gavin Newsom
His fellow California Governor Gavin Newsom has also been mentioned as a possible replacement for Biden as the Democratic presidential candidate.
Newsom is one of Biden’s most ardent supporters and appeared in the Atlanta spin room immediately after the debate to rebut concerns about the president’s fitness to serve.
California Governor Gavin Newsom has been a strong defender of President Biden and has rejected his replacement, saying he would never turn his back on the president
When asked if he would replace Biden, Newsom flatly declined.
“I would never turn my back on President Biden. Never, ever, I would turn my back on President Biden, and I don’t know of any Democrat in my party who would,” Newsom said. “We’re going to win this election.
Newsom said he has spent a lot of time with Biden and knows what he is capable of.
“I have no hesitation whatsoever,” he said.
Governor Gretchen Whitmer
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer is another state leader who has been mentioned as a Biden replacement, and he comes from a state where the odds of success are uncertain.
On Monday, the governor dismissed a report that Biden could no longer win Michigan after the debate. Politico reported that Whitmer called a senior Biden campaign official to reject a “draft Gretch” move and warned that Michigan was unwinnable for the president.
Whitmer said in a statement that she is proud to endorse Biden as a candidate and that she supports him 100 percent.
“I not only believe Joe can win Michigan, I know he can because he has the evidence,” she said.
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, who is co-chairing Biden’s re-election campaign, insisted Monday that Biden could win Michigan in November and that anyone who claims otherwise is “full of shit.”
The governor also posted a video Monday afternoon praising Biden for his efforts to make people’s lives better and urging people to campaign and vote for the president.
“Anyone who claims I said we can’t win Michigan is full of sh*t. Let’s go,” she wrote in her post.
Governor Josh Shapiro
The name of Governor Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania is often mentioned. He is seen as a Democrat with a bright political future and a potential candidate for the White House.
The governor of the state where the election is still uncertain was one of the first Democratic leaders to oppose replacing Biden after his failed debate performance.
“Joe Biden had a bad debate night, but Donald Trump was a bad president,” Shapiro said in an interview with CNN the morning after the debate. However, he also said he would be the first to admit that the debate did not look good.
Governor Shapiro said he would not engage in hypotheticals about whether he could replace Biden as the Democratic nominee
Shapiro also argued that CNN should have done a better job of exposing Trump’s lies.
The Pennsylvania governor declined to comment in the interview on whether he could replace Biden on the list, saying he “wouldn’t participate in that hypothesis,” but he’s all for it.
Shapiro said Democrats should stop worrying and get to work.
Governor Andy Beshear
Gov. Andy Beshear, a Democrat who was re-elected last year in ruby-red Kentucky, was asked Monday whether he would replace Biden and whether he would be willing to step in if necessary.
“Only the president can determine his future as a candidate. He is the candidate and as long as he is, I support him,” Beshear told the crowd of reporters.
Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear said his name being floated as Biden’s replacement is flattering, but he insisted he supports the president as long as he runs
He called the mention of his name flattering, but also said it is a reflection of all the good things happening in his state.
When asked, Beshear admitted that Biden’s debate performance on Thursday was not good.
“It was a very bad night for the president, but he is still the candidate. Only he can make decisions about his future candidacy,” he told reporters.
Governor JB Pritzker
Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker’s name has also surfaced as a replacement for Biden, but the billionaire governor released a statement after the debate criticizing Donald Trump and praising the president.
“Tonight, voters were presented with a stark choice: a president who works hard every day to improve the lives of all Americans, or a convicted felon, a self-centered braggart who thinks only of himself,” it read.
“The contrast between these two men was clear before the debate — and it is even clearer now,” the debate continued.
Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker issued a statement after the debate saying voters had a choice between a hard-working president and a convicted felon
Pritzker accused the former GOP chairman of lying and misleading the American people, but said voters were not fooled.
“Americans rejected Donald Trump’s extreme MAGA agenda in 2020 and they will do so again in November,” he said.
Pete Buttigieg
Transportation Secretary and 2020 Democratic presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg’s name has also been mentioned by some Democratic hopefuls looking for a younger generation of leaders.
The 42-year-old former mayor of South Bend, Indiana, gained national attention for his participation in the 2020 primaries before joining the Biden administration.
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg retweeted a message on X from Biden in which the president said, “I know how to do this job” after the debate
Buttigieg on Monday retweeted a post from the president’s account via X that ran Biden’s latest campaign ad, featuring a video of Biden campaigning in Raleigh, North Carolina, the day after the debate.
Senator Raphael Warnock
Some voters in the crucial state of Georgia told DailyMail.com that their Democratic Senator Raphael Warnock would be a good replacement for Biden, as he won the crucial state.
But Warnock was on the ground in Atlanta to defend Biden after Thursday’s debate.
“I would be concerned if the president didn’t have a record to draw on,” Warnock told reporters. “But the fact is this is a man who has passed historic legislation.”
Senator Raphael Warnock said he would do everything he could to ensure Biden and Harris are re-elected
Warnock reiterated his argument on “Meet the Press” on Sunday, saying that bad debates are happening.
During the interview, he was asked if it was possible that Biden would step down and clear the way for Harris to run.
“I have great respect for Vice President Harris, who I’ve spent a lot of time with, but Joe Biden is the nominee,” he responded. “I’m going to do everything I can to make sure we elect Joe Biden and Kamala Harris.”