Barcelona Exactly one week ago Joe Biden and Donald Trump faced off in the debate that has rocked the Democratic Party and the president’s candidacy for re-election. Despite persistent attempts by Biden and several key figures in the party to dispel doubts, the pressure does not stop. And the polls published in the last few hours in prominent headlines such as New York Times and the Wall Street Journalwhich show a growing gap between the pro-Trump candidates, don’t help calm the waters.
Sign up for the International newsletter What seems far away matters more than ever
Sign up for it
This Thursday, the British weekly joined the campaign against Biden’s candidacy The Economist, which launches a devastating message on the cover of its next issue. There is an image of a walker with the seal of the US presidency and the headline “You can’t govern a country like this”. On the website the headline is “Why Biden must retire”. He argues that “the presidential debate was horrible for Joe Biden, but the cover-up has been worse.” “It was agonizing to watch a bewildered old man struggle to recall words and deeds. His inability to argue against a weak opponent was disheartening. But his campaign’s operation to deny what millions of Americans saw with their own eyes is more toxic, because its dishonesty causes contempt”, concludes the prestigious publication.
This Wednesday morning, Democratic governors met with Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris to show unity and released a message of support for the president. However, some congressmen in the party have expressed their reluctance and, what is worse for the formation, so have some donors. Among them, Ramesh Kapur, a businessman from Massachusetts who has organized fundraisers for Democrats since 1988. “I think it’s time for him to pass the test – Kapur told the BBC -. I know he wants to do it, but no you can fight against mother nature,” he added.
And, while the debate remains open, the million-dollar question is also repeated: who could be Biden’s successor?
The name of Biden’s No. 2 candidacy has gained momentum in recent days, and he is seen as the most logical and perhaps the most pragmatic choice. She would be the one who would have to replace the president if he were to leave office during the term, and while that automatic relief does not apply in the same way during the election race, there are Democrats who feel that the less traumatic option would be for Biden to step aside and support him. First, because Harris could use the funds raised by Biden to campaign, considering that his campaign account was registered with the Federal Election Commission on behalf of both candidates, according to experts to the Associated Press. At the moment, the ticket Biden-Harris has raised about $91 million. However, if the presidential candidate were any other Democrat, the donors would have the right to claim the money back.
Some prominent Democrats have already taken a stand in favor of the vice president. Although he has not enjoyed high popularity during the mandate, some polls are beginning to show a change in trend. Among the qualities that stand out to him is his firm position in defense of social rights such as abortion and that he can attract more young people than Biden. Kamala Harris’s approval rating among Americans has grown slightly over the past six months. Right now it stands at 39.5%, while 49.5% of citizens do not see it favorably, according to surveys collected on the FiveThirtyEight portal.
Although his name is the one that is taking almost all the center stage in the traversals of a hypothetical relief in recent days, there are other Democratic figures who have also signed up as possible candidates.
One of the men close to Biden. After the debate he said the following on MSNBC: “Don’t turn your back just because of a bad performance.” He has become an advocate for LGBTI+ rights, abortion and gun control. During Trump’s presidency he turned his state into the “resistance”. And in recent years he has gained notoriety on the state level with his participation in conservative media and in a debate last year against the governor of Florida, the ultraconservative Ron DeSantis.
He entered politics in 2000 and has served four terms as a state congressman. Shapiro was elected governor in the state where Biden lost to Trump in 2020, with a margin of 14 percentage points over his Republican rival. Pennsylvania will once again be a key state this election. Among his points in favor, his supporters emphasize that he has a more moderate or centrist profile than other Democratic figures, which may draw in traditionally Republican voters who do not want to give Donald Trump the victory.
The name of the governor of Michigan has also sounded other times as a possible successor to Biden and there has been speculation that she could try to run for president in the 2028 elections. During the covid pandemic she faced the Trump administration for its management. And in the 2022 legislative session, he secured state control for Democrats, which has enabled several progressive policies to be implemented, including protecting access to abortion in Michigan and passing gun control measures .
5.
Other possible candidates?
At this time of so much speculation, the list of possible candidates is long. Some media also point to Pete Buttigieg, the current Secretary of Transportation, who in the 2020 presidential race already ran in the Democratic primaries. Also sounds the name of Joe Manchin, a senator from West Virginia, a profile similar to Shapiro’s that may appeal to moderate Republicans. For now, though, it’s all about flying pigeons.
2024-07-04 15:43:55
#candidates #replace
