As the 2024 election approaches, some Senate Democrats are increasingly worried about persistent speculation that President Joe Biden might be replaced as the Democratic nominee. Despite Biden’s position as the incumbent, his low approval ratings and advanced age have fueled rumors in Washington, D.C., that party leaders have a contingency plan for an alternative candidate.
According to a New York Times/Siena College survey in March, 73% of voters believe Biden is too old to serve effectively as president, including 61% of those who supported him in 2020. These concerns are amplified by an Economist model predicting that former President Donald Trump has a two-in-three chance of making a historic political comeback.
Democratic lawmakers have been vocal in dismissing the speculation. “There’s no way in hell that’s true, not a chance in hell that’s true,” one lawmaker told The Hill. Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) described the rumors as “bizarre,” while Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) stated, “I’ve heard no credible Plan B and I’m not counting on a Plan B.”
Despite these public dismissals, some Democratic strategists and donors are privately questioning Biden’s viability as the nominee. One Democratic consultant explained that while discussions about an alternative occasionally arise, they do not translate into concrete plans. “If people mention that, if it’s talked about in settings, even if somebody says we need to have an alternative, it’s not really taken as something that seriously could happen,” the strategist told The Hill.
Concerns about Vice President Kamala Harris’s readiness for the top job further complicate the situation. “You’re in a conversation with somebody, somebody says, ‘Do we have a back up?’ Something like that. Because, honestly, [Vice President Kamala] Harris is not really seen as ready for prime time,” the source continued.
In February, Politico editors outlined a hypothetical three-step process for replacing Biden with an alternative candidate on the Democratic ticket. This process involves Biden voluntarily stepping aside before the Democratic National Convention, followed by delegates nominating a new candidate and tying up loose ends.
Potential alternatives mentioned include Vice President Harris, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, and former First Lady Michelle Obama. However, replacing Biden remains a contentious and uncertain prospect, with many party members still rallying behind the sitting president.
