Democrats will nominate Biden before the convention despite party division.

The Democratic Party is in full swing preparing to nominate President Biden as its 2024 nominee in a vote scheduled before their convention. This decision was outlined in a letter dated Wednesday, sent to the Democratic National Convention Rules Committee by committee co-chairs Leah Daughtry and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz. The letter detailed plans to conduct a virtual roll call for delegates, citing the need to avoid potential legal issues in Ohio and other states. This news comes at a time when Democrats are grappling with internal divisions regarding Biden’s candidacy, with the party set to hold a rules meeting regarding the convention on Friday.

The letter specified that virtual voting will commence no earlier than Aug. 1 and must conclude by Aug. 7 to sidestep ballot access problems in Ohio. Ohio Secretary of State Frank Larose had previously cautioned the Democratic Party that their intention to nominate Biden at the Aug. 19 convention violated Ohio law, which mandates that a presidential candidate must be certified at least 90 days before Election Day.

According to the letter, the primary rationale behind opting for a virtual voting process was to ensure sufficient time to finalize nominees and secure their places on ballots across the nation. Daughtry and Walz underscored the importance of upholding transparency, maintaining an effective nominating process to have the nominee featured on all state ballots, and ultimately paving the way for victory in November.

Nonetheless, the compressed timeline intensifies the mounting pressure on a growing faction of Democrats urging Biden to step down from the race. To date, 20 Democratic lawmakers have publicly called for his withdrawal, with Rep. Adam Schiff of California being the most recent to voice his concerns. In a statement to the Los Angeles Times, Schiff highlighted Biden’s accomplishments as president but expressed doubts regarding his ability to defeat Trump in the upcoming election. He emphasized the urgency of the moment, characterizing a second term for Trump as a threat to the country’s democratic foundations and asserting that the time has come for Biden to pass the torch to a prospective contender who could secure victory against Trump.

President Biden, on his part, has remained resolute in his decision to stay in the race despite the escalating calls for his exit. The growing chorus of voices within the Democratic Party pointing towards an alternative candidate underscores the prevailing uncertainty and discontent surrounding Biden’s candidacy.

Recently, The Washington Post confronted President Biden on the authenticity of the stories he has recounted to audiences over the course of his career. These developments have added another layer of scrutiny to Biden’s campaign, with questions being raised about his credibility and the narratives he presents to the public.