Democratic congressman says criticizing Kamala Harris as potential Biden replacement would be very harmful.

Following the recent first presidential debate, there have been increasing calls for President Biden to step down from the race to allow a new candidate to take his place. If Biden were to step aside, Vice President Kamala Harris seems to be the favored replacement among many prominent Democrats.

Rep. Bennie Thompson, a Democrat from Mississippi, argued that not choosing Harris as the new nominee would be detrimental to the Democratic Party, describing her as “incredibly strong.” Thompson believes that Biden and Harris should be seen as a team, and any attempt to replace Biden with someone other than Harris would be fatal for the party.

In support of Harris, Rep. James Clyburn from South Carolina expressed his backing for her in the event that Biden steps down. Clyburn emphasized the need to boost Harris and ensure the continuity of the Biden-Harris ticket into the future.

Similarly, Rep. Summer Lee from Pennsylvania, a member of the progressive “Squad,” highlighted Harris as the clear choice for a replacement. Lee emphasized the urgency of the situation, stating that there would not be time for a primary election to select a new candidate, making Harris the most obvious and viable option.

Aside from Harris, there are a few other potential candidates being considered to take Biden’s place, including Governor Gavin Newsom of California, Governor Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan, Governor Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania, Governor J.B. Pritzker of Illinois, and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg.

Recent speculation has surrounded who would be the best fit to replace Biden in the 2024 race. A CNN poll highlighted that in a hypothetical matchup against former President Trump, Harris outperformed Biden, adding more weight to the idea of her as a potential replacement.

As the calls for Biden to step down grow louder, the focus has shifted towards who would be the most suitable candidate to take his place. With Harris emerging as a frontrunner among the discussed replacements, it will be interesting to see how the situation unfolds as the 2024 election season progresses.