Who could replace Joe Biden if he withdraws from the race for the presidency of the United States? These are the names that sound

Yes before the presidential debate this Thursday There were already many Americans who had doubts about the age of the current president Joe Biden (81 years old) and his ability to govern the country for another four years, The face to face with Donald Trump in the CNN studios in Atlanta only aggravated the situation and caused a wave of panic among Democrats.

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While Biden initially assured in X that “he did well” against “Trump who spent the night talking about himself and his lies,” Today, there are many voices calling on the president to step aside and urging him to quickly find a candidate to replace him in the November 5 contest.

The Democrat’s performance was weak. He cleared his throat, was hoarse – his campaign was quick to say that he was battling the flu in recent days – and his gaze seemed lost in the air at times. Some of his responses, furthermore, were incoherent or weak even on the issues he champions, such as the right to abortion.

“I have no idea what he just answered and I think neither does he,” Trump responded at one point, taking advantage of the president’s slip.

The numbers don’t support this either. The survey conducted by CNN to registered voters who watched the debate revealed that 67 percent believe Trump performed better, compared to 33 percent who thought Biden did better. Another 57 percent said they have no real confidence that Biden has the ability to lead the nation, versus 44 percent who said they had no confidence in Trump’s abilities.

Are Democrats still in time to replace Joe Biden? Are there Democratic candidates who can take on Donald Trump in the November race? For now, some are in the mix, like Vice President Kamala Harris and California Governor Gavin Newson.

Can Democrats change their candidate for the US presidential election in November?

In theory yes. Biden won the party’s primary election and according to a count of Associated Press won 3,894 of the 3,937 delegates that elect the presidential candidate. However, Biden has not been officially named the Democrats’ presidential nominee as the process is taking place at this year’s Democratic National Convention, which will take place from August 19 to 22.

The same occurs in the case of Donald Trump, who will be made official as the Republican candidate at the party’s convention that will begin on July 15.

Any attempt to find a replacement will expose those fractures. Finding another candidate that everyone feels comfortable with can be difficult

And while it is still possible to replace Biden, the procedure would not be simple. Amy Gardner, election reporter at the Washington Postensures that The easiest option for Democrats is for Biden to step aside and withdraw his candidacy. That scenario would lead to what is known as an open convention in which other candidates would have to compete for the votes of party delegates.

Another alternative that primary expert Elaine Kamarck lists is that Biden refuses to leave the presidential race but that an additional candidate appears to try to challenge him at the convention and dispute the votes of the delegates. Another difficult scenario – says Gardner – with the vast majority of delegates committed to Biden.

“While a majority of convention delegates could decide to elect a new candidate, doing so would require mass defections from the president’s own supporters. It also means that if Biden were to withdraw from the race, it would largely be his supporters who would be responsible for choosing his replacement,” journalists Zachary B. Wolf and Ethan Cohen explain on CNN.

Reporter Colby Itkowitz of the Washington Postfurther notes that,Even if Biden steps aside, it would be a challenge to find a candidate who would win a majority of delegate votes on a first ballot, which would lead to a “prolonged convention and days and days of voting before the result is decided.”

Even harder It would be that The new elected person is sufficiently prepared to confront Donald Trump or manages to attract enough votes to be a viable option in November, Therefore, experts such as Hans Noel, professor of Political Science at Georgetown University, assure that a change of course at this point could be a shot in the arm.

Gardner further mentions that The search for new candidates for the November election could expose Democratic differences in the midst of the electoral contest and that, in one way or another, they remained silent for months in the face of Biden’s overwhelming victory in the primaries.

“Biden represents a compromise that holds together the broad and potentially fractured coalition of the Democratic Party. Any attempt to find a replacement will expose those fractures. Finding another candidate with whom everyone is comfortable may be difficult,” Noel agrees in the Washington Post.

Democrats who are being considered as an option to replace Joe Biden in the race against Republican Donald Trump

And while Democrats publicly stand by their support for Joe Biden, American media say the situation behind the scenes is different.

According to CNN correspondent John King, President Joe Biden’s performance was considered by the Democratic ranks themselves as “depressing” and caused panic among party strategists, officials and even campaign fundraisers, to the point that some even considered the option of going to the White House to ask Biden to step aside. As the hours go by, the list of names to be considered if the president leaves or if the party agrees to a change grows.

These are the names that are being talked about to replace Biden.

1. Kamala Harris

Harris, who has a degree in Political Science and Economics and a law doctorate, ran for the Democratic nomination in 2020 but withdrew from the race and endorsed President Biden, who then named her his vice president. Harris made history by becoming the first woman to hold the position, as well as the first Asian and African American vice president of the United States.

But Biden’s ‘vice’ does not enjoy wide levels of popularity and polls place his disapproval at 49.4 percent. Added to this is criticism from multiple quarters, which, according to The Guardian, accuse her of not having played a bigger role in the current government.

If he decides to drop out of the race, however, Biden could choose to nominate Harris to take his place or delegates could view her as the better, quicker choice.

For now, Harris affirmed that this Thursday’s debate had a weak start but that Joe Biden is “extraordinarily strong,” closing ranks around the current candidate to contest re-election.

2. Gavin Newsom

Newson, governor of California since 2018, is perhaps the name most frequently mentioned as a replacement for Biden following Thursday’s disastrous presidential debate. Newson, 56, is also a former mayor of San Francisco and lieutenant governor of California. On his website, he describes himself as a leading advocate of marriage equality, gun control and the decriminalization of marijuana.

Newson is seen as one of Democrats’ strongest options heading into the 2028 elections. But the governor made it clear at the end of the debate that he remains in President Biden’s camp and does not intend to challenge the president.

“I will never turn my back on President Biden. I don’t know any Democrat in my party who would do that,” he told reporters after Biden and Trump’s face-to-face meeting.

3. Gretchen Whitmer

Whitmer, 52, is the governor of Michigan. According to the Democratic National Committee website, Whitmer was elected to the House of Representatives in 2000 and then to the Senate in 2006. There she became the first woman to lead the Democratic bloc.

Whitmer was co-chair in the 2020 presidential campaign and is said to have been on Biden’s deck of options to serve as vice president. although he finally opted for Kamala Harris.

The governor also appeared to rally behind Biden after the debate, saying the current president is “running to serve the American people.”

“This election is about which candidate can make life easier for them and their families, defend our rights and freedoms, and leave a better country for our children and grandchildren. On these issues, the difference between Joe Biden and Donald Trump as people and as presidents could not be clearer,” he stated.

4. Josh Shapiro

Governor of Pennsylvania since 2023, Shapiro is an attorney who has served as attorney general and member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. He was also chairman of the Montgomery County Commission, the third most populous in Pennsylvania.

In addition to Shapiro, the Washington Post lists other candidates who could consider entering the 2028 presidential race and who are now entering the scene amid the current crisis. This is the case of Maryland Governor Wes Moore; Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg; North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper; or Georgia Senator Raphael G. Warnock.

The AP, for its part, names other possible contenders such as Illinois Governor JB Pritzker or California Representative Ro Khanna, and even raises the possibility that former candidates who lost the Democratic primaries in 2020 might consider returning to the ring, as in the case of Bernie Sanders or Elizabeth Warren.

I know I don’t walk as easily as I used to, I don’t talk as well as I used to, I don’t debate as well as I used to, but I know what I know.

For now, Biden already acknowledged this Friday at a campaign rally in North Carolina that he had his stumbles in the debate, although he affirmed that he will not withdraw. and that he would not apply if he were not sure he could do the job.

“I know I’m not a young man. I know I don’t walk as easily as I used to, I don’t talk as well as I used to, I don’t debate as well as I used to, but I know what I know. I know how to tell the truth. I know right from wrong. I know how to do this job. I know how to get things done. I know, like millions of Americans, I know, when you get knocked down, you get up,” he said.

And he added: “I give you my word: I wouldn’t run again if I didn’t believe with all my heart and soul that I could do this job. Because, frankly, there’s a lot at stake.”

So, while the most radical are weighing options for Biden to step aside, others who are more moderate are thinking about what they could do to get back on track and for the memory of Thursday’s critical debate to take a backseat.

ANGIE NATALY RUIZ HURTADO – INTERNATIONAL EDITORIAL – EL TIEMPO