Biden allies present him as safer bet than Harris
by Alexander Bolton - 07/13/24 6:00 AM ET
Allies of President Biden seeking to beat back calls to remove him from the Democratic ticket are framing the debate within the Senate Democratic caucus as a choice between Biden and Vice President Harris, suggesting that Biden remains the safer bet.
These Biden supporters claim Harris would almost certainly be the replacement for Biden if he were to decide to not run for reelection.
But they argue she’s not a safer bet to win than Biden, particularly in the key states of Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, despite Biden’s own political weaknesses and vulnerabilities.
In truth, it’s not entirely clear that Harris would be a lock to replace Biden if he were to decide not to run, though she would carry several key advantages heading into any fast-tracked selection process and would be seen as a favorite.
But by defining the choice as one between Biden and Harris, Democratic lawmakers are privately trying convince their skeptical colleagues to stick with the 81-year-old president, warts and all.
One Democratic senator firmly behind Biden’s reelection bid said Harris would no doubt win the nomination if Biden steps aside, even if party officials set up a rushed competition to pick a new nominee.
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https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/4769373-biden-harris-democratic-ticket/
