Biden’s out. What’s next? Answers to some questions you might have. - The Boston Globe (2024)

And then immediately came a different question: What happens now?

Here is your quick field guide to what happens next.

So is Kamala Harris going to be the Democratic nominee now?

Likely, but it’s not a done deal. Minutes after Biden announced he was not running for re-election, he announced that Harris has his “full support and endorsem*nt” to be the Democratic nominee.

For many delegates headed to the Democratic National Convention in a month, that might be all the cue they need.

However, while Biden can decide whom to endorse, he doesn’t have the power to hand off the nomination to whomever he wants. That decision will be up to the thousands of delegates to the Democratic National Convention.

Besides the endorsem*nt from the sitting president, there are some powerful logistical arguments for the party to back Harris quickly. Maybe the biggest is that she has immediate access to nearly $100 million sitting in the Biden/Harris campaign committee since her name is on the committee. Anyone else would have to go out and raise their first dollar. The election is in 3.5 months.

What is the next thing to watch?

Whether and how Kamala Harris officially launches a run for president. In a lengthy statement thanking Biden, Harris added a line that it was “my intention is to earn and win this nomination.” Then it is to see if everyone in Democratic politics is fine with Harris or if there is a point of criticism.

For what it’s worth, she appeared to have the early backing of both establishment-minded Democrats as well as the quick endorsem*nt from House progressives, ending what could have been a chance for someone more progressive to run.

Wait, but can others run?

Sure. To get a name placed into nomination, a candidate must have the support of 300 delegates to the Democratic National Convention, with no more than 50 from any one state. There are roughly 4,700 delegates to the convention this year, when you combine elected delegates and party leaders.

So when is a Democratic nominee actually selected and this is official?

We don’t know. We know the latest a nominee will likely be selected is August 22, the last day of the Democratic National Convention. But the nominee could be selected earlier, maybe even next week.

Well before Biden dropped out or had a bad first debate in June, Democrats were trying to clean up a weird election-year quirk. Under Ohio law, the nominee for president needed to be decided by August 7 to be placed on the general election ballot, which is two weeks before the Democratic National Convention. Ohio Governor Mike DeWine and Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose, both Republicans, have said they will ensure the Democratic nominee will be on the ballot, but last week Democratic National Committee chair Jamie Harrison said he doesn’t trust them.

To get around that, Democrats were planning to hold a virtual roll call of the states to nominate Biden sometime in the next two weeks before that deadline kicked in. Then they would simply do it again for show when the television cameras were on during the national convention. It’s unclear at this moment what the plan is exactly on this.

Some have argued there should be an open fight for the nomination to give Harris – or anyone else – the sheen of legitimacy.

Any other unknown questions?

Yes, who will Harris pick as her running mate. And if anyone else does run, will they simply announce a ticket from the get-go to build more support?

What about superdelegates?

Those who followed the 2008 and 2016 Democratic presidential nominations might remember a lot of talk about party leaders who have an equal vote to elected delegates who reflect the will of primary voters.

Since then, the rules have changed. This group of Democratic members of Congress and party leaders are now called “automatic delegates” and they cannot vote on the first ballot, unless it is deemed that a single candidate already has enough delegates to capture the nomination.

What will the Republicans say or do?

Republicans are largely taking two rhetorical approaches to this news. The first is that if Biden doesn’t think he is able to serve as president in the next four years, then maybe he isn’t mentally capable of serving right now and he should resign. The second track is to say that this changes nothing because the same criticisms of the Biden-Harris administration still apply if it is Harris and not Biden.

But they have already taken action. A Trump Super PAC has already switched out advertising in key battleground states to more prominently attack Harris.

James Pindell can be reached at james.pindell@globe.com. Follow him @jamespindell and on Instagram @jameswpindell.