NYT: Biden is considering whether to continue the race. “Kamala Harris first choice to replace him”. The White House denies

John

By John

Joe Biden is considering whether to continue his bid for the White House. The president himself admitted this to an ally, according to the New York Times. Biden is said to have said he knows he may not be able to save his candidacy if he cannot convince the public in the coming days that he can continue the job.

The White House: NYT Article on Biden Absolutely False

The New York Times article is “absolutely false,” White House spokesman Andrew Bates said, effectively denying that Joe Biden is considering dropping out of the presidential race. “This is absolutely false. If The New York Times had given us more than seven minutes to comment, we would have said so,” Bates wrote on X.

Kamala Harris as an alternative

Vice President Kamala Harris is the best option to replace Joe Biden if the president decides not to continue his campaign, Reuters reported, citing seven sources from Biden’s campaign, the White House and the Democratic National Committee. Some influential Democrats have floated alternatives to Harris, including California and Michigan governors Gavin Newsom and Gretchen Whitmer. But excluding Harris is a nearly impossible wish, Reuters sources said. If nominated, Harris would inherit Biden’s campaign funds and network.

Polls and public opinion

Three-quarters of U.S. voters say the Democratic Party would have a better chance of retaining the presidency if the nominee were not Joe Biden. The president’s approval rating also hit a new low after his performance in the first presidential debate, according to a poll conducted by SSRS for CNN.

Trump favored, but with reservations

Nationally, Donald Trump remains the frontrunner, with a 6-point lead over Biden, steady from the April poll. However, there are signs that each candidate has solidified support among their voters in recent months, in a period that has seen both Trump’s sentencing in New York and the debate. The needle is being tipped by independent voters, who are increasingly reluctant to support either Trump or Biden.

Harris vs. Trump: Thin Margin

If in a hypothetical change of horse in the race it were Vice President Kamala Harris to face Trump, the gap would be two percentage points, still in favor of the Republican candidate. A margin of error that suggests that in such a scenario there is no real favorite. Harris’s slightly stronger performance against Trump is based, at least in part, on broader support from women (50% of female voters support Harris over Trump versus 44% for Biden against Trump) and independents (43% for Harris versus 34% for Biden).

Other Democratic Candidates

Several other Democrats have been mentioned in recent days as potential replacements for Biden, and each enjoys similar levels of support to Biden. They include California Gov. Gavin Newsom (48% Trump – 43% Newsom), Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg (47% Trump – 43% Buttigieg), and Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (47% Trump – 42% Whitmer).