On Sunday, US President Joe Biden concluded his re-election campaign after losing support from fellow Democrats, who questioned his mental acuity and ability to defeat Donald Trump, creating uncertainty in the presidential race. The Democratic party is in disarray, and it’s unclear if anyone can unseat Trump. Still, Biden’s withdrawal will leave a vacuum at the top of the ticket that could be filled by one of dozens of potential candidates vying for the nomination.
Biden, 81, was under intense political pressure to withdraw from the race following a disastrous debate performance that deepened longstanding concerns about his physical and mental health. He seemed frail, hesitant, and confused at the June 27 debate broadcast to 51 million people. He was unable to form coherent sentences and often mumbled his words. He brushed off the poor performance, saying he had been exhausted and suffering from a bad cold. But the damage was done, and many Democratic lawmakers and activists openly questioned his candidacy.
A day after the debate, Biden met with party leaders privately, where he was reportedly urged to drop out. He refused to do so publicly, arguing that he would be able to beat Trump and win a second term. But the deteriorating poll numbers and mounting questions about his ability to govern and lead were too much.
The final straw came on Monday when a news outlet published a video of him in a crowded event that showed him stumbling over his words and struggling to get his footing. The footage revived questions about his declining health and mental acuity that had been downplayed for years by those around him.
Despite the poor performance, Biden’s supporters pushed him to stay in the race and hoped he might rebound from the humbling debate. But he decided to end the campaign on the same day he endorsed California Senator Kamala Harris for the party’s nomination, giving her a boost in support and allowing the party to avoid the kind of conflict that might have arisen between Biden and his supporters if he had tried to run again.
It’s not clear whether other Democratic candidates will challenge Harris for the nomination. Still, she would likely face a primary contest that could pit her against other liberals seeking to run against Trump. The party’s delegates at the convention will ultimately decide the nominee, and the chances are high that the process will culminate in a virtual roll call vote to lock in the new candidate on Aug. 1, a week before the convention opens in Chicago. If the Democrats can choose an adequate successor to Biden, it may not matter who wins the party’s top slot. A unified party will be a more formidable opponent to Trump, and the election is likely to be close enough that small shifts among various demographic groups can make a difference. That’s why it’s so important to get out the vote.
