Sen. Lindsey Graham said on Sunday that if President Biden steps aside in the 2024 presidential race, it would change the race against former President Trump. Graham, a Republican from South Carolina, spoke on “Face the Nation.” He said that Biden might be replaced, even though Biden has said he will run again.
“If Biden steps down, Harris is going to have to pick somebody to help her,” Graham said. “If she does become the nominee, this is a dramatically different race than it is right now today. I hope people are thinking about that on our side.”
If Biden does not run, Vice President Kamala Harris would likely become the Democratic nominee.
But this is not for sure. In that case, Harris would choose another Democrat as her running mate. Graham said that either party’s vice-presidential pick could make a big difference in the November election.
“If I were President Trump, I would make sure I pick somebody that could add value in 2024,” Graham said. Trump has been hinting at who he will choose as his running mate for weeks. He is expected to make an announcement around the Republican National Convention later this month.
Graham said he supports Senator Tim Scott, also from South Carolina, as a possible vice-presidential candidate. He said Scott could help win more states. Graham also mentioned other Republicans being considered for the job.
These include North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, Sens. Marco Rubio of Florida, and J.D. Vance of Ohio.
He also said that Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin, who is not currently being talked about, should be considered. “If we win Virginia, we win,” Graham said.
“So I’m hoping President Trump is looking for a VP pick that not only can carry on the America First agenda after he leaves but also win in 2024,” said Graham. An ally of former President Donald Trump warned on Saturday that if Vice President Kamala Harris were to replace President Joe Biden in the 2024 presidential election, her choice of running mate could change the race a lot. People started talking about this more after many called for President Biden, now 81, to step aside.
They are worried about his age and abilities. This was highlighted during the June 27 debate where Biden seemed tired. Biden’s team later said this was because he had a cold and jet lag.
Trump, 78, is only three years younger than Biden. People have similar worries about his age and fitness for office. But if Harris, who is 59, runs for president, it might make some voters less afraid about the physical and mental demands of being president.
If Harris runs for president, Senator Lindsey Graham from South Carolina said the main issues in the policy debate won’t change. But voters might think the Democrats can do a better job. “The policy debate doesn’t change, the capabilities of the candidate change—all the problems associated with a declining Biden physically and mentally go away,” Graham told The Washington Post.
When talking about who Harris might pick as her VP, Graham said choosing a popular governor from an important swing state like Pennsylvania or Michigan could be very important. Democratic Governors Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania and Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan were mentioned as possible running mates.
Biden’s potential exit reshapes race
But neither has said publicly if they are interested in being on a presidential ticket. Polls show mixed feelings about Harris as a presidential candidate. A Morning Consult poll from July 1 to 5 found that only 42 percent of voters would strongly or somewhat support Harris.
50 percent would either strongly or somewhat oppose her. Harris has notably more support than Whitmer. Only 35 percent supported Whitmer, and many people were undecided.
In a Reuters/Ipsos poll taken between July 1 and 2, Trump was slightly ahead of Harris in a possible matchup by 1 percentage point (43 to 42 percent). Trump led by 5 percentage points against Whitmer (41 to 36 percent). He was tied with Biden at 40 percent in a direct contest.
The 2024 presidential race keeps changing. Possible shifts depend on the candidates’ health and choices about running mates. Donald Trump has publicly celebrated growing calls for Joe Biden to end his run for reelection.
But some in the GOP are worried that if Biden steps aside, it could make the race harder for Trump. Senator Lindsey Graham, a Republican from South Carolina and a longtime Trump ally, recently shared his thoughts on CBS’ “Face the Nation” with Margaret Brennan. He said that a new Democratic challenger would make the race “dramatically different” for Trump.
Graham guessed that if Biden steps down, Vice President Kamala Harris might become the Democratic nominee. She would then need to carefully choose her running mate. “If Biden steps down, Harris is going to have to pick somebody to help her.
If she does become the nominee, this is a dramatically different race than it is right now today. I hope people are thinking about that on our side,” Graham stated. Graham added that Trump should focus on picking a strong running mate who can “add value in 2024, expand the map, and prosecute the case against the liberals.” Trump has not announced his vice presidential pick yet.
But Graham mentioned that South Carolina Senator Tim Scott, North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum, Florida Senator Marco Rubio, and Ohio Senator JD Vance are among his top choices. The worry about Biden stepping down isn’t just from Graham. A House Republican, who spoke to Fox News anonymously, had similar concerns.
They said a younger and possibly more popular Democratic candidate could make the race tougher for Trump. “As a human, it’s probably good for Joe Biden that he’s now probably not going to have to be subjected to this another four years. But for the party, it’s not great.
It’s not clear to me that it’s good for us, either,” the anonymous GOP lawmaker said. Another senior House GOP aide agreed. They suggested that Biden staying in the race is Trump’s best chance for reelection.
“Virtually any Democrat that potentially replaces Biden has an exponentially better chance,” the aide told Fox News. “Biden staying at the top of the ticket is the best-case scenario for a Republican trifecta.”
When asked for comment, Trump’s representatives pointed to a recent post on Truth Social. In it, Trump urged Biden to stay in the race.
“Crooked Joe Biden should ignore his many critics and move forward, with alacrity and strength, with his powerful and far-reaching campaign,” read Trump’s post. “Yes, Sleepy Joe should continue his campaign of American Destruction and, MAKE CHINA GREAT AGAIN!”
It remains to be seen how the political landscape will change in the coming months. But for now, the possibility of a Biden replacement is a big topic of discussion within the GOP.
