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President Joe Biden announced his decision to drop out of the 2024 election in a letter to Americans shared on his accounts Sunday (July 21), leading to several unanswered questions.
The Democratic party must now decide on a replacement candidate with just over 100 days until Election Day, with Biden endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris. Other names that have been commonly mentioned as potential replacements include Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, California Gov. Gavin Newsom, Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker and Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro.
The Democratic National Convention is scheduled to be held in Chicago from August 19-22, at which point the roll-call process of delegates formally casting their votes would normally take place. Democratic officials were reportedly planning to instead hold an accelerated virtual roll-call vote on August 7, according to USA TODAY.
The party could, however, instead opt to have an open convention in August. In 1976, President Gerald Ford defeated then-California Gov. Ronald Reagan in primary delegates and the popular vote, though didn't have enough delegates to secure the nomination (1,130) prior to the Republican National Convention, leading to both candidates attempting to sway uncommitted delegates in an effort to secure the nomination, prior to Reagan's concession.
Biden, 81, announced his decision to end his campaign in a letter to Americans shared on his accounts.
"It has been the greatest honor of my life to serve as your President. And while it has been my intention to seek reelection, I believe it is in the best interest of my party and the country for me to stand down and to focus solely on fulfilling my duties as President for the remainder of my term," Biden said. "I will speak to the Nation later this week in more detail about my decision."
Biden expressed his "deepest gratitude to all those who have worked so hard to see me reelected" and referred to Vice President Harris as "an extraordinary partner in all this work," though not specifically mentioning whether she would serve as his replacement as the presumptive Democratic nominee.
The president's decision came amid reports of uncertainty regarding his re-election campaign following a disastrous performance in the first presidential debate against former President Donald Trump, 78, last month. Biden, the oldest president in history, appeared opposite Trump on the debate stage for the first time since the 2020 election and did little to quell concerns about his vigor and energy.
The president appeared to struggle with his voice, clearing his throat and coughing multiple times, and was often seen open-mouthed and staring when Trump spoke, occasionally struggling to finish sentences. Biden's performance reportedly led to "panic" among Democrats, according to longtime Democratic operative and CNN senior political commentator David Axelrod, which was followed by several Democratic members of Congress calling for him to step down.