Democrats thrown into chaos as they face tight deadline to replace Biden

Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, says Vice President Kamala Harris potentially becoming the Democrat nominee does not change the course of the election, as he focuses on helping Republicans win in November.

President Joe Biden dropped out of the 2024 on Sunday, prompting many Republican lawmakers to suggest Biden should immediately resign from the presidency if he cannot seek another term.

"What I'm focused on is lets make sure we beat Kamala Harris or whoever the Democrats put up. And frankly I don't think it matters that much, because you can't change the facts," Jordan told Fox News when asked about Biden dropping out of the presidential race.

"In three and a half years we've literally went from a secure border to no border, safe streets to record crime, $2 gas to $4 gas, and we went from stable prices to record inflation," the congressman said. "Those facts aren't going to change no matter who the Democrats try to run. So I'm focused on making sure President Trump and JD Vance are our next president and vice president. We win the Senate and keep the House. That's what we gotta do so we can deliver for the American people."

Before President Biden announced he would discontinue his re-election campaign and endorsed Vice President Harris, recent polls that had been conducted after his disastrous debate performance showed little difference between how he matched up against former President Trump compared to how Harris would. 

The New York Times assessed that Harris falls about two percentage points behind Trump in recent polls. The 46% to 48% difference is slightly better for Harris compared to how Biden polled on average – three percentage points behind the Republican presidential nominee, 47% to 44%.

A New York Times/Siena College poll conducted in the battleground state of Pennsylvania from July 9-11, before Biden dropped out and before the assassination attempt on Trump at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, showed Harris was only behind by one percentage point in a hypothetical matchup against Trump. 

In Virginia, Harris had a five percentage point lead, compared to Biden only polling ahead of Trump in the same state by a razor-thin margin, according to the Times. Harris polled slightly better than Biden in both states among Black voters, younger voters and women. 

This is an excerpt from an article by Fox News Digital's Danielle Wallace.

Michigan Democrat Gov. Gretchen Whitmer announced Monday she is "fired up" to support Vice President Kamala Harris to replace Joe Biden at the top of the ticket in November.

"In Vice President Harris, Michigan voters have a presidential candidate they can count on to focus on lowering their costs, restoring their freedoms, bringing jobs and supply chains back home from oversees, and building an economy that works for working people," Whitmer wrote.

"That's in stark contrast to Donald Trump, a convicted felon who stokes violence, overturned Roe, attacked our auto industry which hardworking families depend on, left office after losing 100,000 manufacturing jobs, and drove our economy into the ground last time he was in the White House," she added."Vice President Harris has my full support," she said.

Whitmer's name was reportedly tossed around as possible candidates to replace Biden before he dropped out of the race on Sunday.

Gov. JB Pritzker, D-Ill., joined a growing list of prominent Democrats endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris for the 2024 Democratic nomination. 

“When I spoke to Vice President Harris, I told her that President Biden’s selfless decision came as a genuine surprise," Pritzker wrote in a statement after President Biden dropped out of the presidential race on Sunday.

Pritzker was among the candidates rumored to potentially replace Biden as the nominee in the case he withdrew his candidacy.

“Vice President Harris has proven, at every point in her career, that she possesses the skills, strength, and character to lead this country and the vision to better the lives of all Americans," Pritzker said. "She represents our Party’s best chance to defeat Donald Trump in November, and I will work my heart out to help her do that."

"I am endorsing Kamala Harris for President and will work hard to get her elected because I believe that she is the most qualified and capable person to be President," the governor added. "I also think it’s past time we shatter that highest and hardest of glass ceilings and finally elect a woman as President of the United States.”

CNN commentator and former Obama administration official Van Jones grew visibly emotional while reacting to the news that President Biden would withdraw from the race. 

Biden stepped aside on Sunday and has endorsed his vice president, Kamala Harris, to become the new nominee for the Democratic Party.

"When your arm gets tired you let somebody else finish pitching the game," Jones said Sunday on CNN. "That’s what Joe Biden has done. And he’s done that for all of us."

Jones said that Democrats would not have accomplished as much as they have "without" Biden's help. 

"The Democrat Party's [Biden']s family at the end of the day, this is a family matter," Jones said. "You know, Joe Biden’s body may not be as strong as it used to be. His language skills may not be as sharp as they used to be. His heart is as big as ever."

This is an excerpt from an article by Fox News' Jeffrey Clark.

President Biden's decision to stand down from re-election offers Democrats an unprecedented opportunity to reset this election.

At this hour, Vice President Kamala Harris is the most likely nominee.Many party leaders have endorsed her candidacy, and no other candidate with an appreciable chance of winning the nomination is running.

Harris is known for asking voters to "see what is possible, unburdened by what has been."

Her probable elevation to the top of the ticket allows her party to do that. But it is too early to tell whether she would perform better against former President Trump in the general election than Biden or any other candidate.

This is an excerpt from an article by Rémy Numa.

Gov. Wes Moore, D-Md., announced his support for Vice President Kamala Harris on Monday, noting she has "the experience, record, vision, and wisdom to unify the country."

The Democratic governor was a strong backer of President Biden, pushing back on calls for him to drop out of the race in the last few weeks.

With Biden announcing the suspension of his campaign for re-election, Moore has shifted his support to Harris.

The popular Maryland governor has been speculated as a potential candidate for the Democratic nomination to replace Biden, but with his Monday endorsement Moore ended any rumors.

He could be speculated as a potential running mate for Harris on the 2024 ticket, joining a class of popular Democrat governors that are also being speculated about.

As the surge of endorsements of Democrats backing Vice President Kamala Harris to succeed President Biden as the party’s 2024 presidential nominee continues on Monday, the big question is when will the Democratic National Committee formally nominate Harris.

That answer could come Wednesday afternoon, when the DNC’s Rules Committee meets to hammer out the timetable for the presidential nomination roll call. In a statement early Monday, the committee noted that with Biden ending his re-election bid, it’s now its “responsibility to implement a framework to select a new nominee, which will be open, transparent, fair, and orderly.”

The committee announced that the meeting would take place at 2 p.m. on Wednesday, and that the proceedings would be available to watch on the DNC’s Youtube page. The push to move forward with the virtual nomination of Biden ahead of Democrats' in-person convention, which kicks off on Aug. 19 in Chicago, comes because of a ballot-access conflict in Ohio that was eventually corrected.

The DNC has previously said that the roll call would not take place before Aug. 1, and a source with knowledge of the Rules Committee’s thinking tells Fox News that that parameter still stands.

Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton shared a throwback photo with Vice President Kamala Harris on Monday, urging those on X to donate to her.

She pointed out Harris' past as a prosecutor in California, contrasting her with Republican presidential nominee former President Trump, who was convicted of falsifying business records in New York.

After President Biden announced his intention to suspend his campaign for re-election and endorsed Harris as his successor, Hillary and former President Bill Clinton were among the first to follow suit and back the vice president. "We are honored to join the President in endorsing Vice President Harris and will do whatever we can to support her," the Clintons said in a joint statement on Sunday.

Hillary Clinton's Monday morning post included a link directing viewers to an ActBlue page for Harris. Since Biden's decision to drop out, Harris has seen a massive fundraising haul, with her campaign reporting that it raised nearly $50 million.

Sen. Joe Manchin, I-W.V., said he would not run as Vice President Kamala Harris' running mate in 2024, amid reports he is considering launching his own bid for the presidency.

Manchin applauded President Joe Biden's "legacy" during an appearance on CNN Monday, just one day after the president withdrew his candidacy for the 2024 election.

The senator then shut down the idea of running on a Democratic ticket with Harris, who is already being backed by a majority of Democrats to run on the top of the ticket in place of Biden.

“No," Manchin said when asked if he would run alongside Harris in 2024. “It’s a new generation, you don’t want a 76-year-old vice president right now."

Asked if he believes voters would want a "76-year-old president," amid reports that Manchin is considering launching a bid for the Democratic nomination, the Senator said "well, if he feels like he's 50 maybe."

Manchin is reportedly considering re-registering with the Democratic Party and running for president in 2024 "even just to have the discussion of bringing the party back to center," Fox News confirmed Sunday.

Gov. Andy Beshear, D-Ky., endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris to be the Democratic nominee for president on Monday, and did not turn down the idea of being her running mate.

"I'm excited to fully endorse Vice President Harris as the next president of the United States," he said on MSNBC's Morning Joe. "The vice president is smart and strong, which will make her a good president. But she's also kind and has empathy, which can make her a great president."

The Kentucky governor had been speculated as a potential Democrat in the running to replace President Biden on the ticket after he announced the suspension of his re-election campaign on Sunday.

However, Beshear put the discussion to rest by throwing his support behind Harris' bid.

Asked if he would be open to being Harris' running mate, he said, "The the only way I would consider something other than this current job is if I believed I could further help my people and to help this country."

When the governor was asked more specifically if he would consider the role, he said, "I think if somebody calls you on that, what you do is at least listen."

The second-highest ranking Democrat in the House of Representatives endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris to be the party's 2024 presidential nominee on Monday.

"I proudly and enthusiastically endorse Kamala Harris for President of the United States," Rep. Katherine Clark, D-Mass, said in a statement.

"Harris is a champion for working families and reproductive freedom. She stood up to corporate greed and lowered prescription drug costs for seniors. She expanded the Child Tax Credit and cut child poverty in half," Clark said.

Clark then went on to contrast Harris with former President Trump, saying the Republican nominee is a threat to "our core principles of democracy and justice for all."

The top Democrat in the House, Speaker Hakeem Jeffries, has yet to endorse Harris. Former Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and former President Barack Obama have also remained silent.

President Biden hesitated to drop out of the race because he was concerned that Vice President Kamala Harris could not defeat former President Donald Trump, Axios reported Monday.

While Biden endorsed Harris immediately upon announcing his withdrawal, many top Democrats have shown they remain skeptical of her chances. Biden, the Clintons and a wave of Democratic lawmakers fell in line behind Harris, but former President Barack Obama, former Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Speaker Hakeem Jeffries and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer have all remained silent on who Biden's successor should be.

Top candidates--aside from Harris--are California Gov. Gavin Newsom, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro and a handful of others.

The Democratic Party faces an August 7 deadline for selecting a new nominee.

Harris has faced high levels of scrutiny and criticism during her time as vice president, with a reports of a hostile work environment contributing to high staff turnover.

President Biden was outraged at the leaks and betrayals by his own party but ultimately "surrendered to reality," a close friend of his told Axios on Monday.

"It was fury for a while. Then he surrendered to reality. He's a professional," the friend said.

 "No one was able to produce data points that showed him winning," another Democratic insider told the outlet. "They tried everything. There was no path."

Biden made the decision to drop out while he was isolating with COVID-19 at his Rehoboth, Delaware beach home. With him were top political strategist Mike Donilon, counselor Steve Ricchetti, White House deputy chief of staff Annie Tomasini and Anthony Bernal, senior adviser to the first lady, according to Axios.

While Biden initially rejected calls to resign, unrest within the Democratic Party mounted over the course of weeks. Extensive leaks from within the party also undermined Biden's leadership with rumors of unease and panic.

Trump 2024 national press secretary Karoline Leavitt joined 'Fox & Friends First' on Monday to discuss why Biden's decision has prompted U.S. politics to enter 'unchartered territory' and why many critics are calling on him to step down immediately.

Leavitt argued that campaign members "feel better about our chances" facing Vice President Kamala Harris rather than President Biden.

Harris' ascension to the Democratic Party's nomination is not set in stone, however. While Biden, the Clintons and other top Democrats have endorsed her, notably top names have also chosen not to.

President Obama, former Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Speaker Hakeem Jeffries have all remained silent on who should succeed Biden in the 2024 race.

Trump himself argued Monday morning that Democrats had "stolen" the nomination from Biden after an extensive primary process.

Ex-Obama adviser David Axelrod cautioned supporters of Kamala Harris against casting her as the default replacement to President Biden on the 2024 ticket, warning that she will need to prove to voters that she is capable of earning the nomination.

"I think the focus of many leaders in the party is going to be singular and it‘s going to be how and who can defeat Donald Trump and that may well be Kamala Harris," Axelrod said Sunday. "I think some of her supporters have done her a disservice because they say, well, she‘s there, she‘s historic, you can‘t bypass her and so on…

"The real case they should be making is why she‘d be the strongest candidate. And there are some really strong arguments to suggest she would be, but she might be stronger if she comes through a process that is open, and I noticed in her own statement, she said she wanted to compete and earn the nomination, and it would be good for her if that was the conclusion that people drew," he added.

Axelrod made the comment on "CNN Newsroom" after he was asked why former President Obama notably failed to endorse Harris for the Democratic nomination in his statement reacting to news of Biden's suspended campaign.

Biden endorsed Harris moments after he announced his decision to drop out of the race. She confirmed that she would run for the Democratic nomination in a statement, writing that "I am honored to have the President’s endorsement and my intention is to earn and win this nomination."

Harris has received endorsements from former President Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, as well as several Democratic lawmakers. However, many Democrats have issued statements on Biden's decision without making mention of Harris or endorsing her. 

"We will be navigating uncharted waters in the days ahead. But I have extraordinary confidence that the leaders of our party will be able to create a process from which an outstanding nominee emerges," Obama wrote in his statement.

Vice President Harris’ presidential campaign has raised nearly $50 million in grassroots donations since President Biden suspended his re-election bid and endorsed her, Fox News Digital has learned. 

"Since the President endorsed Vice President Harris yesterday afternoon, everyday Americans have given $49.6 million in grassroots donations to her campaign," the Harris campaign told Fox News Digital. 

The campaign told Fox News Digital that the figure represents grassroots donations raised across "all entities, including ActBlue." 

Harris announced her presidential campaign Sunday afternoon just after Biden announced he would drop out of the 2024 race, amid pressure from within the Democratic Party. 

The unprecedented announcement came as an increasing number of Democrat lawmakers had begun to publicly call for Biden to step aside and the party's leadership reportedly was engaged in efforts to convince Biden, 81, he could not win in November's general election against former President Trump, the 2024 GOP nominee who Biden defeated four years ago to win the White House.

Biden quickly offered his "full support and endorsement" for Harris to take over as the party's presidential nominee.

"It has been the greatest honor of my life to serve as your president," Biden wrote in a public letter. "While it has been my intention to seek reelection, I believe it is in the best interests of my party and the country for me to stand down and focus solely on fulfilling my duties as president for the remainder of my term."

Biden said he will formally address the nation later this week about his decision. 

This is an excerpt from an article by Fox News' Brooke Singman

Former President Trump argued that the Democratic Party "stole the race" from President Biden after the current president decided to drop out of the race Monday.

"The Democrats pick a candidate, Crooked Joe Biden, he loses the Debate badly, then panics, and makes mistake after mistake, is told he can’t win, and decide they will pick another candidate, probably Harris. They stole the race from Biden after he won it in the primaries — A First! These people are the real THREAT TO DEMOCRACY!" Trump wrote on Truth Social.

Biden officially bowed out of the race on Sunday following weeks of sustained pressure by Democrats who argued he was too old to serve effectively as president. Biden quickly endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris, and she has since enjoyed a wave of endorsements and fundraising from top Democrats and Hollywood celebrities.

The Democratic Party has until August 7 to formally nominate a replacement for Biden.

The person most responsible for Biden stepping aside is Nancy Pelosi, who warned the president in private, then had allies such as Adam Schiff go public, then used leaks to the press to make Biden’s position untenable.

The former speaker has not endorsed Harris. Neither has Barack Obama, who let it be known he thought his former VP would lose and said yesterday there should be a process for deciding the nomination.

Fox News' Howard Kurtz contributed to this report

Former ESPN broadcaster Sage Steele tore into President Biden’s decision to withdraw from his re-election campaign more than three weeks after a disastrous debate with former President Trump.

Steele expressed her concerns about the United States and took a shot at the president’s family for allowing him to stay in the race.

Biden announced earlier Sunday he was ending his re-election campaign and endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris as the potential Democratic nominee. Statements from first lady Jill Biden and the president’s children followed after the announcement was made.

However, Steele was unhappy it had gotten this far.

"I think what we should be is disappointed and angry because it should never have gotten to this point in the first place," Steele said in a video posted to X. "And I don’t even mean since that debacle of a debate on June 27th when the mainstream media just magically decided to admit, ‘Wait, maybe he has some cognitive issues. Maybe he’s not fit to run for reelection. They were lying from top to bottom for years and covering up for him sadly.

"We should be so disappointed in his family, in his wife. How, as a spouse, could you allow your husband or wife to go ahead and proceed with something so big (and) so important when you know that as a human being, they are not OK? That, to me, is disgusting. That’s what I’ve been saying since I interviewed Joe Biden just a month or two after he took office. That was 3 1/2 years ago and I noticed in my interview before the conversation began that he was struggling.

This is an excerpt of an article by Fox News' Ryan Gyados