Democratic Infighting Intensifies Over Biden’s Nomination
Debate Performance Sparks New Disputes

Tensions within the Democratic Party escalated Tuesday as senior party members urged a swift formal nomination of President Biden, weeks before the national convention. This push prompted some House Democrats to call for a more deliberate process amid increasing demands for Biden to step aside. Democrats are divided over Biden’s suitability to lead their ticket after his lackluster debate performance, which caused a drop in key state polls against former President Trump. New conflicts have emerged concerning party nominating rules ahead of the Aug. 19 convention and ballot access deadlines in all 50 states.

Calls for Swift Nomination

Biden’s advisers and loyal supporters aim to resolve the dispute quickly by securing his formal nomination by Democratic delegates. However, following Biden’s June 27 debate, where he appeared hesitant and confused, some believe he should withdraw from the race. Three former DNC chairs emailed the 180 members of the DNC’s rules committee, advocating for a “virtual roll call” to nominate Biden and Vice President Harris by early August. “This step is crucial to ensure our nominees are on every ballot nationwide this fall,” wrote Donna Brazile, Terry McAuliffe, and Howard Dean.

Ballot Access Deadlines Concerns

Typically, major parties nominate their candidates during their conventions, as Republicans did with Trump in Milwaukee. The Democrats’ convention is scheduled to start more than a week after the Paris Olympics conclude, with Biden’s acceptance speech on Aug. 22. This late timing has caused confusion over ballot access deadlines, especially in Ohio, where officials discussed excluding Biden from the ballot. A decision was made to hold a virtual roll call before Ohio’s Aug. 7 certification deadline.

Internal Opposition

While some Democrats support the Biden-Harris ticket to avoid chaos, others strongly oppose what they see as baseless scare tactics by party officials pushing a vulnerable president through the nomination process. These Democrats view the Brazile-McAuliffe-Dean proposal as a tactic to suppress discussions about replacing Biden.

Pushback Against Accelerated Nomination

“There is no legal basis for this unprecedented action, which would hasten the nomination process by nearly a month,” wrote Rep. Jared Huffman (D-Calif.) in a draft letter to DNC officials. Huffman’s letter, seeking signatures from both Biden supporters and critics, warned of a possible virtual meeting of DNC delegates to formalize Biden’s nomination. Huffman, who clashed with Biden in a call with the Congressional Progressive Caucus, circulated the letter to colleagues, aiming for 50 signatures, starting with the California delegation. Support was “growing and substantial,” he noted.

Support for Change

Rep. Susan Wild (D-Pa.) from a key swing district, agreed to sign and estimated 25 Democrats showed interest by midday Tuesday. Wild, who hosted Biden and other officials in her district, including a visit by Jill Biden after the president’s poor debate performance, backed Huffman’s efforts. Ohio’s legislation allows the Democratic nominee on its ballot once the convention concludes.

Concerns Over Unity

“Prematurely ending debate and shutting down any chance of changing the Democratic ticket through an unnecessary ‘virtual roll call’ is a bad idea. It could harm Democrats’ morale and unity,” wrote Huffman. DNC panels, filled with presidential loyalists, pose a challenge to dissenting lawmakers. Experts interviewed by The Washington Post indicated that replacing Biden before the convention is feasible, as no official nominee or printed ballots exist yet. Post-nomination replacement is more complex but still likely to be upheld by courts.

Legal and Logistical Challenges

In June, before the debate, DNC officials planned meetings ahead of the Chicago convention, including a rules committee meeting. The DNC, legally bound by Ohio’s deadlines, decided to use a virtual roll call similar to the one during the pandemic. Ben Kindel, spokesman for Ohio’s GOP Secretary of State, criticized Democrats for their timing issues and blamed them for their candidate’s struggles.

Calls for Biden to Step Aside

Over 20 congressional Democrats, after Biden’s debate, called for him to step down for a new nominee, possibly Harris. Biden has resisted, engaging in contentious calls with caucuses and having advisers speak to lawmakers to quell the rebellion. His strongest support comes from long-serving Congressional Black Caucus members, who joined him in Las Vegas for a NAACP event. “I am all in,” he declared to a crowd chanting “Four more years!” despite senior Democratic leaders remaining silent on the issue.

Senior Leaders’ Silence

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) visited Biden at the White House after the president’s lengthy news conference aimed at showing his grasp of issues. Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) visited Biden in Rehoboth Beach, Del. Neither leader has disclosed their discussions with Biden, leaving many lawmakers in the dark.

Avoiding Complications

The memo from Brazile, Dean, and McAuliffe highlighted other states with early ballot deadlines besides Ohio, warning that any delays could prompt conservative legal challenges. “Elections have become highly litigious, with Republicans exploiting every possible basis to challenge processes in court. Ensuring certainty and avoiding complications is critical,” they wrote.

Request to Cancel Accelerated Roll Call

Huffman argued that such actions would demoralize the party’s activist base. “Unity and enthusiasm are crucial for Democrats until November 5th. We respectfully request canceling any plans for an accelerated ‘virtual roll call’ and avoiding extraordinary procedures that could curtail legitimate debate or force an early nomination resolution,” he wrote.