Who will replace Biden? Kamala Harris is the immediate frontrunner to replace him

Vice President Kamala Harris appears to be the leading candidate to replace President Joe Biden as the Democratic Party’s nominee in the 2024 election, after the president dropped his reelection bid amid rising concerns about his age following his debate with former President Donald Trump.

Biden emphatically endorsed Harris to be the Democratic presidential nominee in a social media post Sunday shortly after announcing his decision to step out of the 2024 race.

“My fellow Democrats, I have decided not to accept the nomination and to focus all my energies on my duties as President for the remainder of my term,” Biden wrote in a post on X, formerly Twitter. “My very first decision as the party nominee in 2020 was to pick Kamala Harris as my Vice President. And it’s been the best decision I’ve made.”

"Today I want to offer my full support and endorsement for Kamala to be the nominee of our party this year,” he added.

More: As President Joe Biden steps aside, would America be ready for President Kamala Harris

If formally nominated, Harris, 59, would become the first Black woman at the top of a major party presidential ticket. She has served as Biden’s vice president for more than three years and before that represented California in the U.S. Senate.

Harris is not the only person who has been floated as a potential replacement for Biden on the ticket. The Democratic Party will not officially name its presidential nominee until its convention in August.

Biden, 81, announced he would not run for reelection after his low-energy, stumbling debate performance against Trump sparked concern about his mental fitness and prompted a drop in voter support. His exit is expected to ignite a battle for the Democratic presidential nomination.

Others who could throw their name into the ring include Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, California Gov. Gavin Newsom, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg.

Harris, however, has several advantages. She has already been vetted for national office during her tenure as Biden’s second-in-command. She has also been a part of Biden’s reelection apparatus for months.

Prior to Biden’s official announcement and exit from the 2024 race, Reuters reported that the California native would inherit the money the Biden campaign already raised and would take over its existing infrastructure.

Leading Democratic figures, including South Carolina Rep. Jim Clyburn, who was key to Biden's 2020 win, have previously said they would back Harris as the nominee if Biden stepped aside.

If chosen, Harris would be the second Democratic vice president in recent memory to assume the nomination following a president’s decision to back-out. In 1968, then Vice President Hubert Humphrey received the Democratic nomination after former President Lyndon B. Johnson decided not to seek reelection. Humphrey was later crushed by former President Richard Nixon in that year’s general election

Biden is the first incumbent president since Johnson to step aside with another term available. The U.S. Constitution allows a person to serve two full, 4-year terms in the White House.

If Harris is chosen to lead the Democratic ticket, the former prosecutor will need to choose another vice-presidential nominee, opening the door for the party’s other rising stars to join the ticket.

This is a developing story and will be updated.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Who will replace Biden? Kamala Harris is Democrats' top alternative