President Kamala Harris: how it could happen if Biden quits
With more Democrats joining the call to sideline President Joe Biden and replace him on the ticket for November’s Presidential election, the focus is turning to who might take his place.
Polling and popular opinion are behind Biden’s running mate, Vice President Kamala Harris, to lead the ballot.
But how would it happen and what would it mean for her?
If Biden resigns
If President Joe Biden were to not only acknowledge Democrats’ worries that he’s hurting the party’s chances at the poll but decides to resign from the presidency altogether, Kamala Harris would immediately become the President of the United States.
This transition is outlined in the U.S. Constitution, and would make her the first woman and the first person of South Asian and African American descent to hold the office.
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She would then lead the country as president at least until Jan. 20, 2025 when the next president is sworn in.
Taking the White House job now wouldn’t prevent Harris from running for a full term in November. But the Democratic Party would need to nominate her to lead the ticket.
A President Kamala Harris would be campaigning from the ultimate position of power and a hat trick of continuous media attention: traditional White House coverage, reporting on her historic presidency, and election coverage.
If Biden drops out of the race
If President Joe Biden decides to abandon his pursuit of a second term, Kamala Harris is the likely Democratic nominee for the 2024 election.
Harris would then have to mount a campaign against Trump and hope to gather enough votes in November to win the race.
This scenario would, however, allow her to campaign as the sitting Vice President, leveraging her experience and achievements in office.
Will Biden quit the race?
Biden’s recent COVID diagnosis and public appearances where he’s looked frail and unsteady have done little to support his insistence that he’s still vibrant enough to do the job.
That follows on his botched debate performance against former President Donald Trump and a series of verbal gaffes.
High profile Democratic leaders, including former President Barack Obama, reportedly, have urged Biden to let someone else take the nomination when the party gathers next month for the Democratic National Convention.
At the same time, former President Donald Trump has seen a surge in popularity following an assassination attempt at a recent rally, which he addressed in a speech at the Republican National Convention focusing on national unity.
Can President Kamala Harris serve more than two terms?
If Vice President Kamala Harris were to take over the White House now, she could still serve two more terms of her own. The 22nd Amendment allows a president who serves less than two years of a previous president’s term to be elected to two additional terms, meaning Harris could potentially serve nearly ten years as president if she wins the elections in 2024 and 2028.
But, if she remains Biden’s vice president and he leaves the race in favor of her, Harris would only be eligible to serve two terms.
This article originally appeared on Cherry Hill Courier-Post: President Kamala Harris: how it could happen if Biden quits