Adding to the uncertainty, former White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany revealed that tensions are rising within Biden’s campaign. Quoting a post from Doug Kass, a hedge fund owner and prominent figure within the Democratic party, McEnany claimed that Jill Biden is insistent about Joe Biden running for re-election, causing tension within his own campaign. Kamala Harris is reportedly “furious” that she is not being considered as a potential replacement candidate. “What I am hearing regarding Joe Biden. Ron Klain and Barack Obama are having a sit down with the President today. Jill Biden is insistent that Joe runs. Kamala is furious that she is not being considered as a replacement (Whitmer and Newsom are). Interestingly my neighbor in East Hampton is hosting the Bidens tomorrow. It will be an important tell if the fundraiser is cancelled,” Doug Cass wrote on X.
However, it may already be too late to remove Joe Biden from the ballot. The Heritage Foundation’s Oversight Project is gearing up for a counter-fight should Democrats attempt to pull Biden off the top of the ticket, the Daily Mail reported. “We are monitoring the calls from across the country for President Biden to step aside, either now or before the election, and have concluded that the process for substitution and withdrawal is very complicated. We will remain vigilant that appropriate election integrity procedures are followed,” said Mike Howell, Executive Director of The Heritage Foundation’s Oversight Project.
The Heritage Oversight Project has identified three swing states – Georgia, Nevada, and Wisconsin – where they believe removing Biden from the Democratic ticket would prevent anyone else from replacing him. Wisconsin does not allow withdrawal from the ballot for any reason besides death, while in Nevada, no changes can be made to the ballot after 5 p.m. on the fourth Friday in June of an election year unless ‘a nominee dies or is adjudicated insane or mentally incompetent.’ In Georgia, if Biden were to withdraw less than 60 days before the election, his name would remain on the ballot but no votes would be counted.
According to a draft from The Heritage Oversight Project obtained by the Daily Mail, three of the expected six most contested states have specific procedures for withdrawal of a presidential nominee with differing degrees of applicability and timelines. “Policymakers and the public should be prepared for all externalities that arise from President Biden not running for President in 2024. The process for substitution and withdrawal presents many election integrity issues. Adherence to the law in some states may result in that process being unsuccessful for the purposes of another candidate being on the ballot,” the draft concludes.
Carry 46 rounds concealed? (comfortably)
The next few months will be critical in determining whether the Democrats can rally around a new leader or if they will continue with Biden despite the growing concerns about his fitness for office. The party’s future and the upcoming election’s outcome hang in the balance.
