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STORY: The Democratic Party does not have a backup plan if Joe Biden drops out of the U.S. 2024 presidential election race. Despite weak poll numbers and questions about his age, including from some in his own party, Biden has stuck to his plan to seek a second term. A senior Democrat told Reuters: “There is no plan B. If he were ... suddenly not to run, everyone you know would run. The VP scares no one." The source was referring to Biden’s running mate, Vice President Kamala Harris, who has her own popularity problems. Harris would not automatically replace Biden on the ticket if he stepped aside, and other Democrats would likely join the race. Democratic California Governor Gavin Newsom, who is not an official presidential candidate, has been particularly active as a so-called 'surrogate' for Biden,taking part in a debate Thursday against Republican presidential candidate Ron DeSantis. The senior Democrat said the unusual move was intended to remind Democratic voters he was "out there as an option." Biden loyalists argue the party does not need a backup plan to defeat likely Republican nominee Donald Trump, who Biden beat in the 2020 election, and who also faces concerns about his age, as well as a litany of charges, including mishandling of classified documents, and election interference. Even if more Democratic candidates were to jump in now, the path forward would be unclear-- considering it normally takes months to set up a presidential campaign, and that deadlines to get on the primary ballot in several critical states have already passed, with more fast approaching. If the 81-year-old were to halt his re-election campaign, one possible scenario would be for Democrats to pick another nominee at their convention next August, or even later. Still-- multiple Democratic officials whom Reuters spoke to admit the party could face upheaval and infighting should the oldest president in U.S. history drop out, whether for health concerns, or any other reason.
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