Who will replace Joe Biden in 2024 US presidential race
A billionaire hotel heir may be in the running to replace Joe Biden on the ballot as Kamala Harris garners a wave of endorsements, including from those once thought to be main contenders.
US President Joe Biden has withdrawn from the race to be the next president, leaving one big question: Who will now run against Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump?
Mr Biden, 81, has endorsed US Vice President Kamala Harris, 59, but that does not mean for certain she will replace him on the ballot.
Barack Obama, who was 44th president of the US and served with Mr Biden by his side as vice president, notably did not endorse Ms Harris in his statement about Mr Biden stepping off the ticket.
She has, however, garnered a wave of endorsements, including from Bill Clinton, the 42nd president, and his wife Hillary Clinton, who ran against Trump in 2016.
They said they will do “whatever we can to support her”.
Ms Harris said she was “honoured to have the President’s endorsement and my intention is to earn and win this nomination.”
She has become known for her focus and championing of reproductive rights.
If nominated, she would become the first Black woman and Asian American to lead a major party’s presidential ticket.
Many democrats who were quickly named as the main contenders to replace Mr Biden have now thrown their support behind Ms Harris – but not all.
Here is the state of play.
JB Pritzker
Mr Pritzker, 59, has been the governor of Illinois since 2019.
The billionaire is the heir to the Hyatt hotel chain and has the ability to self-fund a campaign.
After praising Mr Biden as “one of the most accomplished and effective presidencies of our lifetime” and slamming Trump, Mr Pritzker said he would “work every day to ensure that he [Trump] does not win in November”.
Unlike some of the other main players, he is yet to endorse Ms Harris.
Gretchen Whitmer
Ms Whitmer, 52, has been the governor of Michigan since 2019.
Australians may recognise her from chilling news the month before the 2020 US presidential election when the FBI announced they had foiled a plot to kidnap her.
Her name has been at the top of many speculation lists, and while her statement about the situation did not mention Ms Harris, she has said her job “will remain the same”.
“My job in this election will remain the same: doing everything I can to elect Democrats and stop Donald Trump, a convicted felon whose agenda of raising families’ costs, banning abortion nationwide, and abusing the power of the White House to settle his own scores is completely wrong for Michigan,” she wrote on X after Mr Biden’s announcement.
Gavin Newsom
Mr Newsom, 56, has been the governor of California since 2019 – the most populated state in the US.
Along with Ms Whitmer, his name had been floated as a potential successor a lot.
He pushed back against calls to enter the contest in the lead up to the election, but political commentators seemed to think that could change after Mr Biden’s withdrawal.
However, Mr Newsom has since confirmed he is backing Ms Harris.
“Tough. Fearless. Tenacious. With our democracy at stake and our future on the line, no one is better to prosecute the case against Donald Trump’s dark vision and guide our country in a healthier direction than America’s Vice President, Kamala Harris,” he wrote on social media.
As CBS reported, while Mr Newsom has become known as “the party’s liberal fighter”, California’s liberal policies could hinder him from seeing widespread support in the presidential election.
BBC noted Mr Newsom had raised his national profile in recent years by appearing on conservative media.
In November, he took on Florida Republican Governor Ron DeSantis in a debate on Fox News. The month before, he went to China to meet with President Xi Jinping.
After Biden’s announcement, he initially wrote: “President Biden has been an extraordinary, history-making president – a leader who has fought hard for working people and delivered astonishing results for all Americans.
“He will go down in history as one of the most impactful and selfless presidents.”
Josh Shapiro
Mr Shapiro, 51, has been the governor of Pennsylvania since 2023.
He too has now endorsed Ms Harris after many considered him to be a potential candidate.
Leaving no room for speculation, he said he would do “everything” he could to help elect Ms Harris as the 47th president.
“The best path forward for the Democratic Party is to quickly unite behind Vice President Harris and refocus on winning the presidency,” he wrote in a statement.
Only the day before Mr Biden’s big announcement, Mr Shapiro refused to answer questions on KDKA-TV about whether he would run for president or join Harris as vice presidential nominee.
“I’m not going to get into hypotheticals. The president has made clear he is running, [and] I am proud to serve as Pennsylvania governor,” he said.
After the announcement, Mr Shapiro said on social media: “President Biden is a patriot who has served our country honourably in the Senate, as Vice President, and as one of the most consequential presidents in modern history.”
Pete Buttigieg
Mr Buttigieg, 42, is a former naval officer and is the US secretary of transportation.
He is from Indiana and was already a candidate in the 2020 US presidential election.
After initially only praising Mr Biden as “among the best and most consequential presidents in American history,” he has since clearly endorsed Ms Harris.
“Kamala Harris is now the right person to take up the torch, defeat Donald Trump, and succeed Joe Biden as President,” he said in a statement.
“I have seen her extraordinary leadership first-hand, working closely with her during the 2020 campaign and then in the historically effective Biden-Harris administration.
“I will do all that I can to help her win this election to lead America forward as our next President.”
What happens now?
Democratic delegates will decide on a candidate to replace Biden at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago in August or beforehand.
Democratic National Convention chair Jaime Harrison said the party will take a “transparent and orderly process to move forward” with a candidate in the coming days.
“This process will be governed by established rules and procedures of the Party,” she said.
“Our delegates are prepared to take seriously their responsibility in swiftly delivering a candidate to the American people.
“In short order, the American people will hear from the Democratic Party on next steps and the path forward for the nomination process.”
Senior White House adviser Anita Dunn held an all-staff call and told them to focus on fighting for and defending Ms Harris, according to a CNN source.
The Association of State Democratic Committees (ASDC) said the “overwhelming majority” of state Democratic Party chairs supported Ms Harris.
“I am proud that state party chairs, vice-chairs, and executive directors across the country are overwhelmingly uniting behind Vice President Kamala Harris,” ASDC President Ken Martin said in a statement.
“These state party leaders are on the front lines of winning elections at every level and know that the stakes of this election could not be higher. With our democracy on the ballot, there is no one more qualified than Vice President Harris to prosecute the case against Donald Trump.”
The ASDC said the vast majority of state party leaders voted to support Ms Harris and no ASDC member voted in opposition, but a handful of members abstained for in-state procedural reasons.
Join the conversation
Trump’s four-word Gaza comment says it all
Donald Trump has ignored global backlash to his Gaza plan and pushed on with his claims the US can turn the warzone into “big real estate”.
Read more
Trump’s wild Musk claim: ‘Not gaining’
The US President has defended Elon Musk in a new TV interview, claiming the billionaire won’t gain anything from his work for the White House.
Read more
‘Where the hell are they?’: Trump laughing
Donald Trump has been all smiles during his first three weeks. Why wouldn’t he be with the Democrats apparently unable – or unwilling – to fight back.
Read more