Can Biden be replaced? Who could replace the Democratic candidate?

A several democratic congressmen Calls for President Joe Biden to end his re-election campaign after a botched debate with Republican challenger Donald Trump.

On Wednesday, Vermont’s Peter Welch became the first Democratic senator to call on the president to end his campaign.

Hollywood actor George Clooney, a major donor to the party, also joined the growing ranks.

A series of polls since the debate have shown Trump may be leading in key states.

President Biden continues to insist he will remain in the race. But recent events have raised questions about how to replace him and who will replace him.

Various scenarios may unfold in the coming days and weeks, but there are two main ways Biden’s campaign could end: He could withdraw voluntarily, or be forced out by his own party.

The first option is simpler.

Biden won the support of nearly all Democratic delegates who will vote at the Democratic convention in Chicago in August. If he steps down, they will be freed to vote for another candidate. Whoever wins the majority of delegates at the convention becomes the new nominee.

The second option would be more confusing.

Democrats could change the rules and turn the convention into a free-for-all against the president’s wishes.

If President Biden does voluntarily suspend his campaign, he may also support his possible successor.

Who will be the main contenders?

Shortlisted Vice President Kamala Harris is the party’s obvious and increasingly popular choice to succeed Biden.

As his deputy after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, she became the face of the government’s campaign to protect reproductive rights.

Ms. Harris has proven to be a loyal ally of the president and fiercely defended his debate performance. After the event, she acknowledged that the president “got off to a slow start” but argued that he subsequently provided more substantive answers than Trump.

Days after the debate, Ms. Harris reiterated her support for Mr. Biden as concerns grew about the president’s ability to maintain his lead.

“Look, Joe Biden is our nominee. We beat Trump once, we’re going to beat him again, period,” she said Tuesday.

“I’m proud to be Joe Biden’s running mate.”

Ms. Harris enjoyed high profile as vice president but has struggled with low approval ratings throughout her term.

According to an average of polls tracked by FiveThirtyEight, 51% of Americans disapprove of Ms. Harris, while 37% approve.

Two-term Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer is an increasingly popular Midwestern Democrat who many experts speculate will run for president in 2028.

She has campaigned for Biden in the past and has not been shy about expressing her political ambitions.

She told The New York Times that she would like to see a Generation X president in 2028, but gave no hint that she might take on the role.

In 2022, she led a campaign that gave Michigan Democrats control of the state Legislature and governor’s mansion.

This political control allowed her to enact many progressive policies, including protecting abortion rights in Michigan and passing gun safety measures.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom is one of the Biden administration’s most fiery surrogates. He frequently appears on cable news networks praising Mr. Biden.

But Mr. Newsom also has political ambitions of his own.

He has often been listed as a possible 2028 candidate, but many Democratic experts now say he could become a surrogate for Biden.

Mr. Newsom has raised his national profile in recent years by becoming a key partisan correspondent in conservative media and last year in a debate with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.

He was Biden’s top surrogate for the disastrous June debate in Atlanta and dodged several questions in the spin room about whether he would replace Biden.

Currently, he publicly supports the president. He traveled to Washington for a meeting with Biden and other top Democratic governors on Wednesday and headlined a Biden campaign event in Michigan over the July 4 holiday.

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg’s presidential ambitions are no secret.

He ran for president in 2020 and was often cited as one of the Biden administration’s best communicators.

Mr. Buttigieg dealt with many public crises during his tenure as transportation secretary.

He helped oversee the government’s response to the train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, the collapse of the Baltimore Bridge and Southwest Airlines’ 2022 flight scheduling crisis.

Since being elected in 2022, Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro has enjoyed high approval ratings in the swing state that Trump narrowly won in 2016.

The governor previously served as the state’s attorney general and worked across party lines during his tenure.

He made national headlines last year when he quickly rebuilt a collapsed bridge on a key highway in Philadelphia — a major political victory for the first-term governor.

Many hail quick fixes as the perfect infrastructure theme for potential 2028 presidential candidates.

Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker has increased his profile in recent years by following Trump and defending Biden.

The billionaire heir to the Hyatt hotel chain was quick to criticize Trump on social media.

After the debate, he called Trump a “liar” and a “34-count felon who only cares about himself.”

Like Ms. Whitmer, Mr. Pritzker has a record of completing agenda items such as abortion rights and gun control that are on progressive Democrats’ to-do lists.

The list of potential nominees extends beyond these Democrats, as the party has built a deep bench of possible future presidential candidates.

governor of kentucky Andy BeshearA two-term Democratic governor of a deeply conservative state, he has garnered increasing national attention since his re-election last year.

governor of maryland Wes Moore He has found himself in the spotlight in recent months following the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore.

senator Amy Klobuchar and Cory Booker He has run for president in the past and is well-known among the Democratic Party.

georgia state senator Raphael WarnockHe was also considered a potential replacement for Mr. Biden, having won a hotly contested Senate race in a swing state.

An IPSOS poll released by Reuters on Tuesday showed that the only person who can defeat Trump in November is Michelle Obama. But the former first lady has repeatedly said she has no presidential aspirations.