Liberals have often accused conservatives of believing the “great replacement theory,” something few on the right had heard of until progressives told them they believed it. However, another great replacement theory is waiting in the wings – replacing a failing presidential candidate with a more appealing one in the few months remaining until the November election.
June’s presidential debate was intended, even stacked, to give President Joe Biden every advantage. From being hosted by the rabidly anti-Trump CNN network and featuring moderators suffering an advanced degree of Trump Derangement Syndrome, even Trump allies were feeling anxiety as the two candidates took the stage. After all, one took a solid week away from his presidential duties to prepare, while the other has been trapped in courtrooms fighting a twisted Democratic lawfare strategy for months.
But other than giving Biden a few predictable opportunities to call Trump a “convicted felon,” the sitting President was unable to leverage years of Democratic strategizing to his advantage. More articulate and focused than his challenger, Trump easily wiped the floor with him in a victory that has Team Biden backing away in horror.
Calls for Biden to step aside in favor of a new candidate are escalating, even as the President refuses to leave the race. If he decides to do so, it will be a challenging but manageable swap for the Democratic party, but time is not on their side.
Biden has already won sufficient delegates during the primaries to secure his nomination before the Democrats’ national convention in August, but several avenues remain open for Democrats to remove him from the running.
Out of approximately 3,937 delegates assigned so far, Biden is expected to have 3,894 supporting him on the first vote at the DNC convention in Chicago in August. The degree to which these delegates are bound to Biden varies by state rules. However, delegates could still potentially revolt. Convention Chair Minyon Moore plays a crucial role here. Under DNC rules, her decisions can override almost any challenge. Delegates would need to hold a roll call vote to bypass her ruling. In other words, Democrats can shift the decision to Moore, refuse to stand for a roll call, and blame her for the DNC’s refusal to back Biden as the Democratic nominee.
If Biden decides to go voluntarily, he could refuse the nomination. In 1968, then-President Lyndon B. Johnson, the leading candidate for the Democratic Party’s nomination, surprised the nation by announcing he would not seek or accept the nomination. This decision came after he nearly lost the New Hampshire primary to Eugene McCarthy. Later that year, Vice President Hubert Humphrey was nominated for President at the convention but lost to Republican nominee Richard Nixon.
Should Biden drop out now, delegates can nominate a new candidate, with state-specific rules determining who they can support. This would trigger a heated battle for the party’s nomination among prominent figures with the influence and reputation to win over delegates quickly. Besides Vice President Kamala Harris, potential contenders might include Governor J.B. Pritzker of Illinois. Michigan’s Governor Gretchen Whitmer and Governor Gavin Newsom of California.
Biden may also choose to withdraw after the convention. According to Rule 8, Section G, of the Democratic National Convention guidelines, if the presidential or vice-presidential nominee passes away, resigns, or becomes incapacitated after the convention, the National Chairperson of the Democratic National Committee, in consultation with congressional Democratic leaders and governors, will recommend a replacement to the DNC for approval.
However, only the nominee can voluntarily withdraw once nominated at the convention. The party cannot force them out. If the Democratic Party has reservations about its nominee after the convention, it has limited options unless Joe Biden chooses to step aside. It might resort to extreme measures like cutting off DNC funding to pressure him to reconsider. Once the convention concludes and Biden accepts the nomination, Democrats are committed to him unless he decides otherwise.
If Biden continues to run and somehow wins, he could choose to step down before his inauguration. Some believe this is the sole reason Democrats continue to prop Biden up in his failing re-election campaign. If he steps aside after the convention but before the inauguration, Vice President Harris would assume the presidency and be eligible to run again in 2028. She has shown herself more than willing to push the rabidly progressive anti-American agenda that Democrats seek. While America dislikes her as much as, if not more than, her boss, Democrats need a fawning puppet.
With only four months left until the election, conservatives should hope Biden continues the race. He is the biggest spoiler in his own campaign.