Democrats have moved swiftly behind Vice President Harris as their next standard-bearer in the hours since President Biden dropped out of the race and endorsed her as his successor. Top Democratic leaders, potential rivals for the nomination, state delegations to the nominating convention, unions, activist groups and party donors have lined up behind Harris following Biden’s historic announcement on Sunday. Some Democrats have called on the party to pump the brakes and consider alternatives. But Harris’s ability to quickly solidify support appears likely to head-off any serious challengers. Democrats were jubilant Monday as the money started flowing back into their campaign coffers. While Harris’s position in the race against former President Trump won’t be known until new polling starts rolling in, Democrats believe she gives them new hope heading into November. Harris will travel to the Biden campaign’s reelection headquarters in Wilmington, Del., on Monday to rally the staff. Here’s a roundup of how Harris has effectively cleared the field:
A majority of Democrats in the House and Senate have endorsed Harris, including leaders such as Reps. Nancy Pelosi (Calif.), Adam Schiff (Calif.), James Clyburn (S.C.), Jamie Raskin (Md.), House Democratic Caucus Chair Pete Aguilar (Calif.), and Democratic Whip Katherine Clark (Mass.). The same is true in the Senate, where leaders such as Majority Whip Dick Durbin (Ill.) and Elizabeth Warren (Mass.) are on board.
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Most of Harris’s would-be rivals for the nomination have announced their support for her, including Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, and Govs. Gavin Newsom (Calif.), Gretchen Whitmer (Mich.), Wes Moore (Md.), Josh Shapiro (Penn.), Roy Cooper (N.C.), JB Pritzker (Ill.) and Andy Beshear (Ky.).
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Democrats have raised more than $100 million on ActBlue in the 24 hours since Biden dropped out. Politico reports that the largest pro-Biden super PAC, Future Forward, has received pledges of more than $150 million since Biden stepped aside. Voto Latino has pledged $44 million to Harris. Hollywood donors are back, according to Deadline.
- The Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) is backing Harris, as are three PACs representing AAPI, Black and Latino voters.
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Harris has the support of more than 500 delegates to the Democratic convention next month in Chicago. The eventual nominee must secure 1,986 to win. Follow The Hill’s delegates tracker here.
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Key unions and activist groups have come out in support of Harris, including the American Federation of Teachers, the SEIU and the Human Rights Campaign.
Still, there are a major endorsements hanging out there, including former President Obama, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.).
Schumer and Jeffries released a statement saying they will meet with Harris as the process plays out:
“Vice President Kamala Harris is off to a great start with her promise to pursue the presidential nomination in a manner consistent with the grassroots and transparent process set forth by the Democratic National Committee. She is rapidly picking up support from grassroots delegates from one end of the country to the other. We look forward to meeting in person with Vice President Harris shortly as we collectively work to unify the Democratic Party and the country.”
There are some Democrats who would prefer a “mini-primary” rather than immediately backing Harris. -
Rep. Dean Phillips (D-Minn.), who was one of the few to challenge Biden in the primary, suggested a straw poll and a series of debates.
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Sen. Joe Manchin (I-W.Va.), who was reportedly thinking about challenging Harris, will not run for president. But he called for a “vigorous, maybe three-week” process to determine the nominee because he believes Harris is “too far left.”
The Democratic National Committee has promised a “transparent and orderly process” to choosing the next nominee.
But with Harris holding the inside track, the big question in Washington is who she’ll choose as her running mate.
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D) will co-chair the Harris campaign, but she says she’s staying put.
The Hill’s Julia Manchester and Julia Mueller have the early list of potential vice presidential picks, led by: - Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, who is enormously popular in the critical “Blue Wall” state.
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Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, who has proved to be a popular leader of a deep red state.
- Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, who is one of the party’s best communicators and a young star with a compelling life story.
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North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper, who could help Democrats win back a key swing state that has gone narrowly for Trump in the past two election cycles.
- Sen. Mark Kelly (Ariz.), the former astronaut and husband to former Rep. Gabby Giffords (D-Ariz.), could help cut into Trump’s widening lead in battleground Arizona.
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Maryland Gov. Wes Moore, a rising star in the Democratic Party.
Biden is still recovering from COVID-19 at his home in Rehoboth Beach, Del. Biden’s doctor said Monday his symptoms have “almost resolved completely.” He has not appeared in public or released any video or audio statements since announcing on X that he will not run for reelection.
The White House says Biden will speak about his decision to drop out later this week, although they have not said when he’ll return to Washington. He’s also scheduled to meet this week with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who will give a joint address to Congress on Wednesday night.
Perspectives: Read more: |
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Welcome to Evening Report! I’m Jonathan Easley, catching you up from the afternoon and what’s coming tomorrow. Not on the list? Subscribe here. |
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© AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite |
Secret Service director faces new calls to resign; gives lawmakers few answers
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Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle is facing new calls to resign, as Congress seeks answers to the security failures that led up to the assassination attempt on former President Trump at a rally nine days ago.
In an appearance before the House Oversight Committee on Monday, Cheatle repeatedly declined to reveal details about the security lapses leading up to the shooting.
Cheatle said an internal report on the investigation will be available in 60 days.
“We are 9 days out from this event and I’d like to know those answers as well, which is why we’re going through these investigations.”
“I will provide answers when we have a full and complete report.”
While Cheatle said she takes “full responsibility” for the “most significant operational failure in decades,” she resisted bipartisan calls to resign.
“I think that I’m the best person to lead the Secret Service at this time.”
“If we determine someone or some people need to be held accountable, we will do so.”
Cheatle faced bipartisan anger, a departure from most current panel hearings that find Republicans and Democrats battling one another.
House Oversight Ranking Member Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) is the latest to call on Cheatle to resign. Here’s a sampling of the bipartisan blowback:
“I think that the director has lost the confidence of Congress at a very urgent and tender moment in the history of the country and we need to very quickly move beyond this.” -Raskin
“Do you really believe at this moment, given how divided the country is, that your service in this role is the best for the nation?…I believe you should resign and I hope you’ll consider it.” -Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) “Because Donald Trump is alive, you look incompetent. If Donald Trump had been killed, you’d have looked culpable…if you refuse to resign, President Biden should fire you.” -House Intelligence Committee Chair Mike Turner (R-Ohio).
“The idea that a report will be finalized in 60 days…is simply not acceptable. It has been 10 days since an assassination attempt on a former president of the United States. Regardless of party, there need to be answers.” -Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) “Time after time these multiple layers of accountability turn into layers of plausible deniability.” – Rep. Jonathan Cloud (R-Texas)
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Cheatle denied that the Secret Service turned down requests for additional security at the rally on July 13, but she wouldn’t say how many times the Secret Service had turned down previous requests. The Washington Post reports that the Secret Service denied multiple previous requests from agents who believed Trump needed more security.
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The director said she regretted previous remarks about a building being unmanned because it had a “sloped” roof, but she wouldn’t say who made the decision to keep the rooftop open or who ultimately signed off on the security plan for the rally. The New York Times reports that the Secret Service did not assign anyone to watch the warehouses 140 yards from where Trump was speaking, and that the Secret Service became “frantic” once the shooting began.
- Cheatle said the Secret Service had identified the shooter as a “suspicious person” before Trump took the stage, but that the rally was allowed to continue because they hadn’t yet identified the shooter as a direct “threat.” She said investigators are “combing through communications” to determine when the Secret Service was able to identify the shooter as a direct threat.
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Cheatle frustrated lawmakers by refusing to commit to firing anyone. She was also criticized for not visiting the shooting site.
House leaders will vote this week to create a bipartisan task force with subpoena powers. The 11-member body will feature six Republicans and five Democrats.
Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas is convening a new panel to conduct an independent review, according to NPR. The panel includes former Bush and Obama administration officials, such as former DHS secretary Janet Napolitano, former Homeland Security adviser Fran Townsend, former federal Judge Mark Filip, and David Mitchell, the former superintendent of the Maryland State Police. The FBI is conducting its own criminal inquiry, and the Secret Service is conducting an internal review. |
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Trump seethes; Republicans pivot
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Former President Trump raged on social media on Monday after President Biden stepped aside. Trump has posted 10 times on Truth Social in the 24 hours since Biden’s bombshell. “The Democrats pick a candidate, Crooked Joe Biden, he loses the Debate badly, then panics, and makes mistake after mistake, is told he can’t win, and decide they will pick another candidate, probably Harris. They stole the race from Biden after he won it in the primaries — A First! These people are the real THREAT TO DEMOCRACY!”
Republicans are pivoting to new lines of attack against Biden and Vice President Harris. -
Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) and other Republicans are calling on Biden to resign from office. “If Joe Biden is not fit to run for President, he is not fit to serve as President. He must resign the office immediately. November 5 cannot arrive soon enough,” Johnson posted on X.
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Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.) will introduce a resolution calling Harris to invoke the 25th amendment.
- GOP leaders are accusing Harris of covering-up Biden’s decline in health.
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MAGA Inc., the main super PAC supporting Trump, released an ad attacking Harris and tying her to Biden’s record: “Kamala was in on it. She covered up Joe’s obvious mental decline. Kamala knew Joe couldn’t do the job, so she did it,” the narrator reads over footage of Harris praising Biden. “Look what she got done: a border invasion, runaway inflation, the American Dream dead. They created this mess. They, no, Kamala, owns this failed record.”
Read more: |
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“How will Republicans respond to Harris on the ticket?,” by Sheldon H. Jacobson for The Hill.
“Can Kamala Harris beat Donald Trump?,” by Eli Lake for The Free Press. |
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28 days until the Democratic National Convention in Chicago.
50 days until the second presidential debate.
106 days until the 2024 general election.
182 days until Inauguration Day 2025. |
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Monday -
Sen. JD Vance (R-Ohio) holds a rally in Virginia at 6 p.m.
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