Top Democratic leaders, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY), have urged the Democratic National Committee (DNC) to delay the nomination vote for President Joe Biden. This move, reported by Axios, allows more time for lawmakers with reservations about Biden’s candidacy to voice their concerns.
The DNC announced that the virtual roll-call vote of delegates to confirm Biden as the nominee will now occur in the first week of August, instead of mid-July, as reported by The New York Times. The national convention will take place from August 19-22 in Chicago. The delay gives lawmakers additional time to address their apprehensions regarding Biden’s ability to defeat former President Donald Trump in the upcoming election.
Biden, 81, has been under scrutiny following a poorly received debate performance against Trump and subsequent inconsistent appearances in public. Democratic figures such as Rep. Adam Schiff of California, influential donors, and liberal media have called for Biden to withdraw, citing concerns about his fitness for a second term.
Initially, Democratic leaders planned to nominate Biden via a virtual vote before the national convention due to an August 7 deadline for presidential candidates in Ohio. However, with Ohio extending the deadline to September 1, the DNC decided to reassess the timeline.
Gov. Tim Walz of Minnesota, co-chair of the DNC rules committee, informed Biden’s campaign manager, Jen O’Malley Dillon, that the roll-call vote should be postponed, according to The New York Times. This decision was seen positively by Rep. Jared Huffman of California, who led efforts to delay the nomination process. Huffman described the new timeline as “a positive step,” although he acknowledged it might not fully resolve concerns about Biden.
“It’s a heck of a lot better than a jammed process that will tear us apart next week,” Huffman said. The postponement aims to avoid a rushed and divisive nomination process, giving more time for thoughtful deliberation regarding Biden’s candidacy.
