Nearly three weeks after Joe Biden’s disastrous debate performance, several Democrats are being eyed as replacements for the president should he step aside from the campaign.
As the president’s calls with Democrats and prime-time interviews have reportedly done little to quell concerns about his age and mental acuity, various candidates have been floated for the top of the Democratic ticket. While Vice President Kamala Harris and Govs. Gavin Newsom (D-CA) and Gretchen Whitmer (D-MI) have been the top names tossed around, four other names are being floated as replacements for Biden
Gov. Wes Moore (D-MD)
Moore, a first-term governor in Maryland, has been considered a rising star in the Democratic Party after being elected two years ago. He has made national headlines and garnered praise for his response to the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse in Baltimore earlier this year.
A polling memo from BlueLabs Analytics obtained by Politico found that Moore is one of the Democratic candidates who outperforms Biden in battleground states by “roughly 5 points.”
Gov. Josh Shapiro (D-PA)
Shapiro was also listed as a Democratic candidate who is significantly outperforming Biden in battleground states, according to the BlueLabs Analytics polling memo.
Sen. Mark Kelly (D-AZ)
Kelly, a former astronaut who is married to former Rep. Gabby Giffords, was first elected to the Senate in 2020 in traditionally Republican Arizona and won a full term in 2022. He has not been listed as one of the main contenders to replace Biden, but his electoral strength in Arizona, a key swing state, could help his case.
The Arizona senator was also listed as one of the possible Biden replacements who outperformed the president in the BlueLabs Analytics polling memo.
Gov. Andy Beshear (D-KY)
Beshear is one of the few Democratic governors in a heavily Republican state. He won reelection in November 2023, despite a challenge from a Republican candidate who was considered a rising star in the party.
He remains popular in the state, but his lack of national name recognition could be a hurdle for a potential candidacy. A Reuters-Ipsos poll showed him narrowly trailing former President Donald Trump, 40%-36%.
Biden has maintained that he will not drop out of the race, but as his poll numbers continue to trail Trump and with his recent appearances doing little to calm concerns, Democrats may have other plans.
