Gretchen Whitmer to Gavin Newsom: Here’s what Biden’s rumored replacements say about being offered role

Gretchen Whitmer to Gavin Newsom: Here's how Joe Biden's rumored replacements responded to being offered the role

President Joe Biden's debate performance on June 27 sent the Democrats into panic mode. The 81-year-old's lackluster showing against former President Donald Trump began with a raspy voice, faltering words, and illogical remarks, heightening fears within his party about his ability to be an effective president for another term if elected in November. These concerns have led to calls for him to step aside in favor of a younger politician to take his place as the Democratic nominee. Many have proposed names of possible substitutes to run against Trump. Here is what five rumored replacements said about stepping into Biden's shoes.

1. Vice President Kamala Harris

Vice President Kamala Harris emerged as the most eligible choice to replace Biden ahead of the Democratic National Convention in August 2020. However, the former Senator from California, who became the No 2 in power as the President's running mate in 2020, made no move to usurp the nomination from the current Commander-In-Chief. Harris was among the first to defend her boss after the debate, saying, "Yes, it was a slow start. That's obvious to everyone. I'm not going to debate that point. I'm talking about the choice in November," as per The Independent. She continued her support for Biden by traveling to Las Vegas on June 28 to campaign for the duo's reelection bid. In an interview with CBS on July 2, she dismissed all speculations, stating, "Joe Biden is our nominee. We beat Trump once and we're going to beat him again, period."

2. Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer

Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer's name also came up as a potential substitute for the President, whose mental acuity has raised fears among the Democrats. Her extensive connections with Democratic power brokers, acquired from her role as vice chairwoman of the Democratic National Committee, could be an added advantage as the party's nominee for the 2024 White House race. However, Whitmer reiterated her public support for Biden. According to a Politico report, she told Biden campaign chairwoman Jen O'Malley Dillon that Michigan was now unattainable for Democrats, but emphasized she was not vying for the nomination ticket to replace Biden. On Monday, July 1, the Wolverine State's governor refuted the report on X (formerly Twitter). She wrote, "Anyone who claims I would say that we can't win Michigan is full of s**t. Let's go."

3. California Governor Gavin Newsom

California Governor Gavin Newsom was another highly speculated name as a possible replacement for Biden. The 56-year-old gained national prominence for his liberal views by performing same-sex weddings in 2004 while he was the San Francisco mayor, years before his party openly supported marriage equality. After the octogenarian's dismal debate performance, Newsom successfully amassed around $1 million for Biden. He staunchly defended the president in a fundraising pitch last week, stating that talks of replacing Biden were "unhelpful and unnecessary." "We aren't going to turn our backs because of one performance. What kind of party does that?" Newsom added, according to The Hill.

4. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg

Despite speculations that Pete Buttigieg would replace Biden, the Secretary of Transportation stood firm behind his boss. He was appointed to the Biden cabinet after his failed primary race against the incumbent in 2020. In a recent interview with Spectrum News, Buttigieg dismissed all concerns surrounding the president's age, implying he had no wish to grab the ticket for the 2024 race. "The president, the boss that I work for, is a focused and disciplined leader, and you can tell from the results that we've gotten," he told the outlet. Additionally, the transportation secretary also hailed the president's achievements, especially those in the first two years, including the $1.2 trillion bipartisan infrastructure framework.

5. Maryland Governor Wes Moore

Wes Moore, who became the first Black governor of Maryland in 2022, is certainly an eligible candidate to run for president. However, he refused to alienate Biden after the lackluster debate against Trump. Highlighting his defense of the president, Moore traveled to Wisconsin, a swing state, where he criticized the Republican presumptive nominee's claim that immigrants were stealing "Black jobs." After a virtual meeting with Biden on July 3, the Maryland governor told reporters, "The president has always had our backs. We're going to have his back as well," according to Reuters.