What Happened?

On July 21, current president Joe Biden announced that he would be stepping down from his reelection bid. This marks an end to his campaign as the incumbent Democratic nominee, where he was facing off against Republican nominee Donald Trump for the second consecutive election. Biden, defeated Trump in 2020, but almost 4 years later, he has stepped aside amid pressure from the Democratic party. His Democratic allies had been asking for him to step down from the nomination since his performance in June's presidential debate, which many viewed as a disaster for the incumbent, and for the Democratic party's chances against Trump. Those who made constant pleas for Biden to step down emphasized his age and health as main concerns, especially as Trump used this to consistently attack Biden in his own campaign. Now that Biden has actually stepped aside, it opens up Democratic politics to an unprecedented point in American history. While traditionally the parties used their conventions to determine their candidates, this has not occurred since the 1970s. A moment in politics that many Americans are unfamiliar with, what will the next steps be for the Democratic party?

What Comes Next?

Immediately after Biden's announcement, he proceeded to endorse his current vice president, Kamala Harris. Harris has accepted the endorsement and will campaign for president, hoping to secure the official Democratic party nomination. The past 24 hours has also seen many high-profile Democratic leaders pledge their support for Harris. There has also been an influx of donations to the Democrats. However, Harris being the next Democratic nominee is not guaranteed. The decision to choose the nominee rests with the delegates of the Democratic National Convention. These individuals are chosen at the party convention and are a diverse group of political officials and advocates. While Harris is certainly the frontrunner for the Democratic nomination, another challenger could certainly declare their decision to run for the nomination. This would mean and open Democratic Convention, where the candidates make their cases for the nomination. The delegates would then decide on the nominee. However, given Harris' immediate backing by both possible Democratic challengers, and former Biden delegates, it seems that she has the edge to earn the nomination before the convention even takes place.

Who is Kamala Harris?

Given Biden's endorsement, and those of hundreds of Democratic party leaders, it seems Harris is likely to win the nomination before the Democratic Convention takes place. Voters may be more familiar with her, being the current vice president, and her name is already on the ticket. Yet despite the immediate rallying to Harris, many voters may be unfamiliar with her policies. Kamala Harris was the Attorney General of California in the early 2010s, before becoming a Californian Senator, a position she held from 2017 to 2021. She has been Biden's vice president for his whole term. Harris ran for the Democratic nomination in 2020, but dropped out before the Democratic primaries took place. As vice president, Harris has been a strong advocate for abortion rights, and proposed legislation to codify the right to abortions before Roe v. Wade was overturned in 2022. The issue of abortion will be a leading policy for the Harris campaign as she seeks to gain votes. Harris has been a long-time supporter of abortion rights, including during her time as a Senator. Harris has also been an advocate for climate change legislation, which she helped champion alongside Joe Biden. Throughout her political career she has proposed massive funding to help fight climate change, including the Green New Deal and Climate Equity Act. Harris has also been a strong advocate for improving the immigration issue, specifically through increasing aid to Central American countries. As the Harris campaign continues to refine itself and make a bid for the Democratic nomination, the Vice President's policies and stances will become more central to her campaign. First, however, Harris will need to gain as much support as possible, while still performing the duties of a vice president.

Images:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/bidenforpresident/49721663096

https://www.flickr.com/photos/iip-photo-archive/50862312413

https://www.rawpixel.com/image/8708829/photo-image-public-domain-women-people

https://snl.no/Kamala_Harris

Biden drops out, what happens next?

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What Happened?

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