One name should seriously concern Donald Trump. They are the biggest threat to his second term.
And now an official statement from this Biden replacement sends shockwaves through Washington, D.C.
Growing Calls for Biden to Withdraw Spotlight Potential Successor Whitmer
Amid increasing calls for President Joe Biden to step down from the 2024 presidential race following the June 27 debate, Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer is emerging as a prominent potential replacement. Despite her denials of involvement in a “Draft Gretch” shadow campaign, political analysts suggest her candidacy would face significant challenges against former President Donald Trump.
Tevi Troy, a former White House aide and deputy secretary of Health and Human Services under the Bush administration, highlighted Whitmer’s cautious approach in an interview with Fox News Digital. “She’s doing the right thing in terms of denying that she’s interested because she can’t appear to be disloyal,” Troy remarked.
He likened the situation to the Cinderella fairy tale: “Everyone knows that the clock is running out and that at midnight everything changes, but at the same time, the prince is handsome, and the champagne is flowing, so you’re enjoying the dancing. But the smart people are kind of eyeing the door and making sure they’re positioned at the door while they’re dancing around midnight.”
Despite Whitmer’s popularity as governor of a crucial swing state, her relative obscurity on the national stage could be a significant drawback. “She’s a popular governor in a swing state,” Troy noted. “So, she’s got a lot of positive qualities, but at the same time, she’s not truly vetted, and most of these people who could potentially face Trump or replace Biden are not fully vetted.”
Whitmer gained national attention for her stringent COVID-19 restrictions and progressive legislative actions, including the establishment of Michigan’s first “LGBTQ+ Commission” and the repeal of several state abortion restrictions. Troy highlighted her controversial pandemic policies, describing them as “heavy-handed.” He also noted, “I think the biggest weakness is not any of the weaknesses we know but what we don’t know.”
The release of Whitmer’s book, True Gretch, next week might provide further insights into her potential candidacy.
Whitmer Pours Cold Water?
Though Whitmer has been a leading replacement pick for many to step in for Joe Biden, she is also playing “hard to get” so-to-speak, as she has produced official statements saying that she is fully behind the Joe Biden campaign for a second term.
“I am proud to support Joe Biden as our nominee and I am behind him 100 percent in the fight to defeat Donald Trump,” the Whitmer office shared in an official statement. “Not only do I believe Joe can win Michigan, I know he can because he’s got the receipts,” she added.
.@JoeBiden is our nominee. He is in it to win it and I support him.
— Gretchen Whitmer (@gretchenwhitmer) July 4, 2024
In the wake of President Biden’s lackluster debate performance, Vice President Kamala Harris has also taken on a more prominent campaign role. Harris, who has faced criticism and concerns about her effectiveness, is now seen as playing a pivotal role in the upcoming election. As November approaches, her increased visibility marks a turnaround for a vice president often viewed as a potential liability for the Democratic ticket.
There is, of course, a logistical concern that remains for the Democrats if they are going to follow through with kicking Joe Biden to the curb. The logistical problem means they have to make a big decision and make it fast.
If Joe Biden steps aside, Kamala Harris is still on the ticket and almost all of the certification the Biden campaign had to go through to get on the ballots in all fifty states ahead of the elections this November will still be valid. She could be elevated to president and she could pick her own vice president for the ticket.
If they ditch the ticket entirely, the Democrats do not have the luxury of getting all of the certification work to automatically transfer to the brand new presidential candidate not named Kamala Harris.
There is a quirk about this, however. Theoretically, Joe Biden could drop out, Kamala Harris could be elevated, she could pick a new vice president, and then drop out herself and elevate the new vice president to the presidential spot on the ticket.
There would likely be some states that question the legality of this as it relates to their remaining certification of the ticket on the ballots in their state. So that’s unlikely to happen, but it’s not off the table.
Simply put, if you’re Donald Trump, you’re certainly sitting pretty because the chaos for the Democrat Party continues to get worse and worse.
Stay tuned to the DC Daily Journal.
