After former President Donald Trump officially closed out the Republican National Convention as the party's presidential nominee early Friday, the focus quickly shifted to the Democratic National Convention and President Joe Biden.
But the uncertainty surrounding Biden's reelection campaign could set up a dramatic few weeks as August's convention in Chicago nears. Multiple Illinois Democrats on Friday joined a growing list of elected officials who are pushing for the president step aside as the Democratic nominee.
"This isn't a question about Biden's competence for office," said U.S. Rep. Sean Casten, a suburban Democrat who represents Illinois' 6th Congressional District. "It's just a question about do they have a strategy to make this election about something that is a winning path for them, and I think we've been very frustrated with the inability of the White House to answer those questions."
U.S. Rep. Jesús "Chuy" García, of Illinois' 4th Congressional District, made the same request of the president.
In a post on X, the social media platform previously known as Twitter, he issued a joint statement with three other Democrats, saying, in part, "Mr. President, you have always put our country and our values first. We call on you to do it once again, so that we can come together and save the country we love."
As more Democratic members nationwide made calls for Biden to drop out — bringing the total since his disastrous debate against former President Donald Trump to at least 30 — the president remained confident he is the candidate who can win come November. Biden and his campaign have insisted he will remain in the race, even as reports rise detailing both public and private calls for him to drop out.
What would happen if Biden were to drop out between now and when he's scheduled to be formally nominated in August? Here's a detailed explanation.
Dick Simpson, a professor emeritus of political science at the University of Illinois Chicago, said Biden himself must be the one to decide to step down, so his delegates can quickly help secure a new candidate.
It takes a majority of the roughly 4,000 pledged delegates to win the party’s nomination. Biden’s won 3,900 of them. Under recent reforms, the party’s more than 700 superdelegates — Democratic lawmakers and dignitaries — are allowed to vote only if no one wins a majority of pledged delegates on the first ballot, so their votes could be crucial in a contested convention.
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"There is certainly a lot of concern in the Democratic Party and requests that Biden step aside, but in the end, he has to release his delegates if he does that," the professor stated.
Simpson pointed out that in 1968, President Lyndon Johnson stepped aside because of primary losses and the Vietnam War.
"It is not going to be crisis-driven," he said. "It'll primarily be - how does Joe Biden feel about serving another four years and what does he think the impact of the resurgence of the Republicans after Trump's near assassination attempt?"
Simpson said the obvious choice is for Vice President Kamala Harris to lead the ticket because it's essentially a continuation of the Biden-Harris campaign.
