NEW YORK (AP) — He is often praised as the man who delivered Joe Biden the Democratic nomination four years ago with a crucial endorsement.
But on Wednesday, Rep. James Clyburn, D-S.C., sent a clear message to the president and elected officials across the country that it may be time to move on.
Clyburn, a Biden campaign co-chair, outlined a process for replacing Biden during an interview with CNN. Should Biden step down, Clyburn said, he expects a “mini-primary” involving Vice President Kamala Harris, governors and others ahead of the Democratic National Convention in August.
“You can actually transform the process that already exists into a mini-primary and I would support that,” said Clyburn, who also spoke to Biden on Wednesday in a conversation his office declined to discuss.
Clyburn’s decision to lay out in detail how Biden could be replaced was seen as a clear call by some top donors, party insiders and even members of Biden’s campaign, who increasingly believe the 81-year-old president will be forced to step aside after a debate performance that shook the party’s confidence in his ability to defeat the former Republican president. President Donald Trump in november.
The extraordinary comments echoed in private conversations between donors, members of the Democratic National Committee and even Biden’s campaign staff, according to multiple participants who spoke on condition of anonymity to share sensitive discussions. In response to Clyburn’s latest remarks, at least one member of Biden’s finance committee predicted that the president would not survive the political crisis.
In fact, the conversation among many insiders is shifting from whether Biden should stay in the race to the logistics of his departure.
Clyburn spokeswoman Brianna Frias later clarified that he was responding to a hypothetical question and was not trying to restart the nomination battle.
“He did not call for a ‘mini-primary,'” Frias said. “Instead, he explained the existing process. The congressman fully supports this president at the top of the ticket and it would be irresponsible to say otherwise.”
A significant group of party insiders want the incumbent president to stay in the race, convinced he is the party’s best chance to defeat Trump.
“I’m for Joe Biden. I encourage Joe Biden to run for president and I believe he will be re-elected,” said Dick Harpootlian, a South Carolina state senator and Biden supporter. “Even in this weakened state, I believe he will defeat Donald Trump.”
Clyburn’s comments came a day after former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi sent shock waves through the party by raising questions about Biden’s fitness to serve. “It’s a legitimate question to say, is this an episode or is this a condition?” Pelosi said on MSNBC.
Biden vowed on Wednesday to stay in the race.
“I’m in. I’m the leader of the Democratic Party. Nobody’s pushing me out,” Biden said in a call with staffers about his re-election campaign, according to a top adviser who posted his comments on the social media platform X.
Privately, however, Biden’s allies have shared growing concerns that he could undermine their chances of winning the House and Senate if he’s on the ballot this fall. And top donors fear that Biden’s fundraising, while strong in June, will slow significantly this month, especially among deep-pocketed donors.
New polls also show warning signs.
Trump held a narrow lead over Biden in two polls of voters conducted after the debate. But one of the polls, conducted by SSRS for CNN, found that three-quarters of voters, including more than half of Democratic voters, said the party has a better chance of winning the presidency in November with a candidate other than Biden.
About 7 in 10 voters — and 45% of Democrats — said Biden’s physical and mental abilities would be a reason to vote against him.
Meanwhile, a growing number of Democratic officials believe Harris should be the favorite to replace Biden. Those involved in private discussions also acknowledge that California Gov. Gavin Newsom and Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer remain viable alternatives.
But some insiders see Harris as the one nominee who would quickly unite the party and avoid a messy and divisive battle at the party convention.
Clyburn, who described Biden’s debate performance as “concerning,” said in an MSNBC interview Tuesday that he would support Harris if Biden were to step down.
“This party should not be doing anything to circumvent Ms. Harris in any way,” Clyburn said. “We should be doing everything we can to support her, whether she’s in second place or at the top of the ticket.”
Meanwhile, Trump’s campaign team cheered on dysfunctional Democrats in a statement predicting victory.
“President Trump will beat any Democrat on November 5 because he has a proven track record and an agenda to make America great again,” said senior advisers Chris LaCivita and Susie Wiles.
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Associated Press reporters Lisa Mascaro in Washington, Meg Kinnard in Charlotte and Jill Colvin in New York contributed.
