President Biden Drops Campaign Bid; DNC Schedules Virtual Vote; VP Harris Considering Running Mates

Providing you with a recap of this week’s top five news items and resources straight from our experts.?

President Biden Drops Campaign Bid?

As we know, President Biden withdrew from the presidential race Sunday and now the Democrats are faced with the task of choosing a new nominee.?

The most logical and practical selection is Vice President Kamala Harris.? First, President Biden has already endorsed her, helping to bolster her claim for the position. ?

Second, one of the main points the President made in favor of staying on the ticket was the 14+ million people who voted for him throughout the primary voting process.? Vice President Harris is the only person who can claim with some legitimacy that the people voting for Biden were also approving her position on the national ticket.?

Third, and perhaps most importantly, the money transfer is a critical factor in the transition to a new nominee.? The current Biden campaign treasury, some $91.5 million according to the June 30th Federal Election Commission campaign disclosure report, can only be transferred to Vice President Harris.? For any other candidate, the Biden money would have to be refunded to donors and then re-contributed to the new nominee.?

Democratic National Committee Schedules Virtual Vote?

Following through on predictions that the Democrats would nominate Vice President Kamala Harris as quickly as possible, DNC chairman Jaime Harrison announced that in fact the committee will schedule a virtual roll call vote in advance of the Democratic National Convention.? The voting period will occur over multiple days culminating with an August 7th deadline, or 12 days before the Democratic National Convention officially convenes in Chicago.? At this point, it appears that Ms. Harris will easily secure the first ballot nomination and end speculation of another potential candidate arriving to claim support from a delegate majority.?

The early vote allows the Democratic leadership to avoid an open convention that could bring chaos, gives the Harris campaign an additional two weeks of general election campaigning, and allows them to make the convention a unifying event.?

Vice-President Harris Considering Running Mates?

News reports suggests that Vice President Kamala Harris is considering four elected officials as possible replacements for herself as she ascends to the presidential nomination.? The first cut of potential running mates appears to feature Sen. Mark Kelly (D-AZ), and three Governors: Andy Beshear (KY), Roy Cooper (NC), and Josh Shapiro (PA).?

Vulnerable House Democrats Break Rank?

Six Democrats broke party ranks to support a Republican resolution criticizing Vice President Harris’ role in securing the border.? Not surprisingly, the six are all in competitive House districts, and among the most vulnerable Democratic incumbents seeking re-election.? They are: Reps. Yadira Caraveo (D-CO-8), Henry Cuellar (D-TX-28), Don Davis (D-NC-1), Jared Golden (D-ME-2), Mary Peltola (D-AK-AL), and Marie Glusenkamp Perez (D-WA-3).?

Nevada Race Tightens?

British pollster Redfield & Wilton Strategies (polling for The Telegraph publication; 7/16-18; 412 NV likely voters; part of a 5,005-sampling universe covering Nevada and seven other states) tested the Nevada Senate race and sees a tighter result than most recent polls.? The ballot test found Sen. Jacky Rosen (D) leading Afghan War veteran Sam Brown (R), 41-37%.? Recently, after a barrage of Rosen advertising, the Senator had been posting leads as high as eight and 12 points.?

A friendly reminder: We've done our research, but you should, too! Check reliable sources for the most up to date information.?

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