Democrats promise ‘orderly process’ to replace Biden. Harris favoured, but questions remain

Shortly after President Joe Biden announced that he would drop his re-election campaign, Democratic National Committee Chair Jaime Harrison had a message: There would be no automatic coronation for his replacement.

“In the coming days, the party will undertake a transparent and orderly process to move forward,” Harrison said in a statement. “This process will be governed by established rules and procedures of the party. Our delegates are prepared to take seriously their responsibility in swiftly delivering a candidate to the American people.”

The comment reflected the reality that while Vice-President Kamala Harris is emerging as the prohibitive favourite to become the party’s nominee – backed already by Biden and many Democrats – it’s not so simple. And, for now, the party isn’t offering many details on what happens next.

Some DNC members had already begun privately discussing contingency plans for the possibility that Biden would step aside before his decision to formally do so on Sunday, and a committee setting the party’s rules for the Democratic National Convention, which opens August 19 in Chicago, will gather virtually on Wednesday afternoon to discuss the next steps.

Harris has to formally secure the nomination from the around 4,700 Democratic convention delegates – including those pledged to Biden, as well as the elected officials, former presidents and other party elders known as superdelegates. She spent part of Sunday calling elected officials and delegates to solidify their support.

Biden won Democratic primaries in every state, and Harris was on the ticket as his running mate. His tapping her as his successor while bowing out of the race further strengthens her case, as does the endorsements of party heavyweights like South Carolina Representative Jim Clyburn. Other top Democrats openly backed the vice-president even before Biden abandoned his re-election bid, urging him to “pass the torch” to her in the wake of his dismal debate performance against Republican nominee Donald Trump last month.