President Joe Biden’s earthshaking decision to drop out of the 2024 presidential race and Democrats’ 105-day sprint to Election Day with a brand new ticket will dominate this week on Capitol Hill.
Most of the Democratic Party’s key figures on the Hill are rallying around Vice President Kamala Harris. We anticipate that in the next few days, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries will follow suit. Other Democratic leaders will get on board the “Kamala Train” as early as this morning.
Harris has already filed the FEC report for her presidential campaign. A large number of governors, members and senators are endorsing her, and by Sunday night, delegates from a handful of states pledged to back Harris, with more expected to do so today. Democratic state party committees are pro-Harris too. DNC officials have promised “a transparent and orderly process” to select the new nominee.
Here’s how Hill Democrats think about Harris. Is Harris a perfect candidate? No, no one is. Is she better than Biden? Yes, according to many Democrats, at least in the sense that it gives the party a fighting chance of defeating former President Donald Trump and Sen. JD Vance (R-Ohio) in November. Democrats hope that Harris chooses a vice presidential candidate who energizes voters, giving the party a boost going into the final months of the campaign.
Democratic supporters donated $50 million to candidates Sunday after Biden dropped out.
The most optimistic take here is that Democrats can now refocus the debate back on Trump and his fitness to return to the Oval Office rather than fielding constant questions about their internal disarray. The less hopeful view is that neither Harris nor Biden can beat a surging Trump and this is just changing deck chairs on the Titanic.
How the leadership is handling this. Hill Democratic leaders are sensitive to the criticism that this could turn out to be a coronation of Harris by party bosses without any input from voters or other key stakeholders. While it’s clear that the party is coalescing around Harris, the leadership doesn’t want to be seen as stacking the deck for her quite yet.
This line also keeps the pressure off of senators and House members in tough races — for now. Over the coming days, you’ll hear these lawmakers try to keep the focus on their own races even as they privately evaluate the impact of Harris taking over for Biden at the top of the ticket.
The most VP candidates. It’s still early, but the Hill is already buzzing about who Harris could choose as her running mate. The most prominent names being discussed are red- and purple-state governors like Roy Cooper (N.C.), Andy Beshear (Ky.) and Josh Shapiro (Pa.). Rep. Jim Clyburn (D-S.C.), one of the most influential Hill Democrats, mentioned Cooper, Beshear, Shapiro and unnamed business leaders as potential VP candidates during an appearance on CNN Sunday night.
But another candidate getting a lot of attention — in Democratic circles but also among those close to Harris, we’re told — is Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.).
There’s no doubt that Kelly has a solid resume. During his 25 years as a pilot in the Navy, Kelly flew dozens of combat missions as well as four trips to space for NASA’s space shuttle program.
Plus, Kelly has shown he can win in a critical swing state. And Kelly already does a lot of surrogate work for the Biden-Harris campaign, including with Harris herself. For example, Kelly appeared with Harris for a rally in Las Vegas the day after Biden’s disastrous debate performance on June 27, the event that triggered the president’s fall.
One of the risks with Kelly, per Democrats we’ve spoken with, would be his political inexperience relative to the other potential choices. But we’re told there’s long been contact between the two camps’ political operations, and Kelly is sure to be on Harris’ shortlist along with the aforementioned governors.
Harris’ Hill allies. Harris’ closest Democratic allies on the Hill include Sens. Alex Padilla (Calif.), who succeeded her in the Senate, Cory Booker (N.J.), Catherine Cortez Masto (Nev.) and Patty Murray (Wash.). Reps. Barbara Lee (Calif.), Joyce Beatty (Ohio) and Jared Huffman (Calif.) are part of the inner circle too.
“It’s a former prosecutor versus a convicted felon,” Huffman told us Sunday. “This is Trump’s worst nightmare.”
Huffman added: “She’s tested, vetted and proven. Plus, she’s been kicking butt on the campaign trail.”
Harris was phoning senators on Sunday afternoon and evening, we’re told, including Padilla. Harris and Padilla have known each other for a long time, and Padilla is viewed as Harris’ top Senate supporter.
The whip operation. Harris spent a bunch of time Sunday talking to members of the House and Senate about her candidacy. Harris personally called CBC Chair Steven Horsford (D-Nev.), CHC Chair Nanette Barragán (D-Calif.), CAPAC Chair Judy Chu (D-Calif.), New Dem Chair Annie Kuster (D-N.H.) and CPC Chair Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.). All five are backing her.
As of now, Harris hasn’t announced any plans to come to meet with House or Senate Democrats as a group. But she’ll have locked down most of the important figures in the Capitol by later today or tomorrow anyway, so it may not be necessary. As a reminder, the Senate isn’t back in town until Tuesday evening, while the House returns today.
On a separate note: We’re also keeping tabs on what Senate Democratic leaders will do about Sen. Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), who was convicted last week on all 16 counts in his federal bribery and corruption trial. A defiant Menendez has resisted calls to resign, and the Senate Ethics Committee will soon make its official recommendation. We could very well see an expulsion resolution on the floor at some point if Menendez doesn’t relent.
