There are growing calls for Joe Biden, 81, to withdraw from the race for the White House.
But the question of his possible successor therefore arises.
Just a few months before the election deadline, here are those who are expected to take over.
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United States: Joe Biden’s age at the center of attention
Who will take over? Following the debate between Joe Biden and Donald Trump, more and more voices have been raised for the 81-year-old American president not to run again. In an editorial, the American newspaper New York Times notably described it as “the shadow of a leader”, therefore calling on him to withdraw from the race for the White House. This forces the Democratic camp to try to find a possible replacement, just a few months before the presidential election. Here are the potential candidates, according to the American press.
Vice President Kamala Harris
Among the many names mentioned is that of the current vice president, Kamala Harris. Attorney General of California from 2011 to 2017, before becoming a senator in this state from 2017 to 2021, she became the first woman and the first African-American to become vice president following the election of Joe Biden in November 2020. If Joe Biden resigns, she would automatically become president of the United States and seems in any case the most obvious choice for this inauguration.
But Kamala Harris is not unanimous in her own camp. She was notably criticized for having been rather transparent during the last four years as vice-president. She is also little appreciated in the polls, which puts her in difficulty in the case of an electoral campaign against Donald Trump.
Former First Lady Michelle Obama
In the Washington PostMichelle Obama is described as “the fancy option” Democrats to potentially replace Joe Biden. Barack Obama’s wife and First Lady from 2009 to 2017 has a very good popularity rating, even since she left the White House. At 60, she is also very involved in the campaign, strongly supporting both American President Joe Biden and his Vice President Kamala Harris. The former lawyer has nevertheless not shown any desire to get more involved, suggesting that her arrival on the political scene is unlikely.
Donald Trump’s 2016 opponent, Hillary Clinton
If Joe Biden withdraws, Hillary Clinton could make a comeback. A multiple presidential candidate, she was nominated by the Democrats in 2016, but lost to Donald Trump. Replacing Joe Biden would be an opportunity for the woman who began her political career after serving as First Lady from 1995 to 2001, during the presidency of her husband, Bill Clinton, to take her revenge, at the age of 76.
California Governor Gavin Newsom
At 56, Gavin Newson, governor of California since 2019, could have his chances. Highly appreciated in the Democratic camp, he began his political career by being mayor of San Francisco from 2004 to 2011 before becoming lieutenant governor of California from 2011 to 2019. For the moment, however, Gavin Newson has supported the Democratic president, ensuring it was “useless” et “not necessary” that Joe Biden withdraws from the campaign. “We do not turn our backs because of a single performance“Gavin Newsom told the media MNSBCadding: “What kind of party does this?”
Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro
Josh Shapiro is one of the names that regularly comes up among the Democrats, after having managed to be elected governor of Pennsylvania in 2022. Popular in this important state for a possible victory for the Democratic camp in the presidential election, he is nevertheless not still seen as a figure nationally known enough to claim the presidency.
Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer
Gretchen Whitmer seems like the ideal candidate on paper. Since 2019, the politician has been governor of Michigan, a state considered crucial for the next presidential election. At 52, she has an experienced profile and is more nationally prominent than other rising Democratic governors.
Transportation Minister Pete Buttigieg
Currently Secretary of Transportation, Pete Buttigieg was also a candidate for the Democratic nomination for president in 2020, even though the mayor of South Bend, a small city in the American Midwest, was a little-known figure nationally. This did not prevent him from coming close to winning the Democratic primaries in Iowa and New Hampshire. However, his candidacy is not unanimous among African-American voters, according to the Washington Post.
