The possibility that President Joe Biden would withdraw from the race for President has been telegraphed for days, as a rising chorus of Democrats called for him to drop out amid a slew of stories quoted off-the-record sources about discussions in his inner circle.
The news on Sunday afternoon still sent loyal Democrats reeling initially — but by evening there was already a consensus emerging that it was time to rally around Vice President Kamala Harris, who Biden had endorsed to replace him.
Morgan Overton, a delegate to the Democratic National Convention scheduled for Aug. 19-22 in Chicago, heard the news at a Pittsburgh Pirates baseball game.
"This is bittersweet: I honestly wish Democrats would have used their energy to figure out the best way to defeat [GOP candidate and former president Donald] Trump," said Overton, who is also the vice chair of the Allegheny County Democratic Committee.
"But speaking as a delegate, we need to focus on wrapping our arms around Kamala Harris and keeping our eyes on the prize of beating Trump in November," she said. "I want everyone to walk into this convention with their heads held high."
The campaign of Republican U.S. Senate candidate Dave McCormick responded quickly to the news with a statement that echoed those being made by other Republicans in the country, arguing that stepping back from the campaign didn't go far enough.
"Joe Biden is not capable of serving as Commander-in-Chief," the statement said. It faulted incumbent Democrat Sen. Bob Casey, arguing that the incumbent had "been weak in his refusal to admit to Pennsylvanians that Biden is simply not up to the job."
Sam DeMarco, who chairs the Republican Party in Allegheny County, similarly downplayed the significance of the move Sunday.
Biden's withdrawal, he said in a statement, "is unlikely to offer the reset that his party seeks. The policies that gave us inflation, open borders, and a diminished standing in the world remain the Democratic agenda, whomever the nominee. "
But Casey himself, who has his own deep family ties to Biden's hometown of Scranton and to Biden — who often publicly refers to Casey as "Bobby" — praised Biden for "historic achievements" that included shepherding the nation through the COVID pandemic and its aftermath and for making the largest federal investments in infrastructure in modern history.
"He has had an exemplary career in public service," Casey said in a statement. "He is a patriot who has always put our country first."
And later that day, Casey issued another statement backing Harris as "the best person to meet this moment."
Harris had already been the frontrunner to replace Biden, owing to a number of factors: her name recognition and previous vetting on the national stage, the fact that voters had already chosen her as Biden's back-up, her ability to access the Biden-Harris campaign account, and the fact that she would be the first woman of color to be a major party's presidential nominee.
Other local officials also rallied around Harris in the hours after his announcement. State House members Jessica Benham and Arvind Venkat — both of whom were selected as delegates to the Democratic national convention next month — both offered endorsements.
Benham acknowledged in a social media post that while she and Harris "don't see eye to eye on every issue," Harris was the candidate "best positioned to defeat Donald Trump and save our democracy."
Venkat said he, too, would support her "as a husband, father, ER Doc, convention delegate [and] Indian-American of the same background as @KamalaHarris."
Her likely accession to becoming the nominee will no doubt increase speculation about who her running-mate will be.
Among the top names mentioned has been that of Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, who is not even halfway into his first term but who is regarded as a political powerhouse, and Pennsylvania is a swing state that is crucial for Democrats' chances this fall.
Recent polling suggests that a Harris/Shapiro ticket could win Pennsylvania by 1 percentage point — a lead that is well within the margin of error, but still better than Democrats were doing with Biden at the top of the ticket: Recent polling suggests Democrats were on track to lose the state by mid-single-digit margins.
Other delegates contacted by WESA either said they hadn't had time to think about a running mate to replace Harris, or they would defer to her pick.
Shapiro has previously disavowed any interest in seeking Biden's seat. Asked Sunday about Shapiro's reaction to the news, and about his prospects to appear on the national ticket, a Shapiro spokesman directed WESA to a statement on social media in which Shapiro hailed Biden as "a patriot who has served our country honorably in the Senate, as Vice President, and as one of the most consequential presidents in modern history.
"President Biden has gotten an incredible amount done to move our country forward, defend our democracy, and protect real freedom," Shapiro added. In an allusion to Biden's roots in Scranton, Shapiro praised Biden's "unwavering commitment to delivering for Pennsylvania — the Commonwealth that raised him."
Later Sunday, Shapiro released a statement endorsing Harris, saying he'd spoken with her after speaking with Biden:
“The best path forward for the Democratic Party is to quickly unite behind Vice President Harris and refocus on winning the presidency," he said. "The contrast in this race could not be clearer and the road to victory in November runs right through Pennsylvania — where this collective work began. I will do everything I can to help elect Kamala Harris as the 47th President of the United States.”
Responses about Biden's departure itself, meanwhile, came in from local elected officials. Congressman Chris Deluzio, who represents a district in Beaver County and the Allegheny County suburbs, issued a statement praising Biden as "the most pro-union President of my lifetime, and he signed the most consequential legislation for veterans of my generation.
Deluzio, who had been a staunch ally of Biden even as questions mounted following Biden's disastrous debate performance last month, said he was "proud to have served alongside President Biden in the fight for the common good."
Democratic delegate Nathaniel Yap said that Biden's decision brought to a close a period that "has been very painful for many of us. This has been a rough several weeks, and there is probably going to be a need for healing for some" who hoped Biden would see it through.
"But I have every confidence that we will be able to come together as a party," he said.
Yap, who introduced First Lady Jill Biden at Pittsburgh's Pride event this summer, called Joe Biden "an incredible president," adding that "I appreciate everything he has done to protect working people, the LGBTQ community, women." He said would back Harris fully, and that he expected her to continue Biden's work: "I have absolute 100 percent confidence that the Vice President will continue in [Biden's] stead."
Yap said that when it comes to selecting a vice presidential nominee, Democrats have "a deep bench, which is another thing I am excited about as a Democrat," and that he expected to be an enthusiastic supporter of the presidential nominee's pick.
Can Biden redirect his delegates?
Democrats now must navigate a shift that is unprecedented this late in an election year.
What was supposed to be a convention coronation for Biden now becomes an open contest in which nearly 4,700 delegates will be responsible for picking a new standard-bearer to challenge Trump in the fall.
"This is so new," said Western Pennsylvania delegate Jim DePoe. "I was 100 percent behind Biden until noon today. I was planning some phone banks for him this Saturday. But everything has changed, and I think we all have to chew on it for awhile."
"It's a month before the convention: I already have my Biden-Harris T-shirt," DePoe said.
Although that shirt arguably just became a collector's item, it's just the tip of the iceberg in terms of the broader challenges ahead.
The path ahead is neither easy nor obvious, even with Biden endorsing Harris. There are unanswered questions about logistics, money and political fallout.
Biden won every state primary and caucus earlier this year and lost only the territory of American Samoa. At least 3,896 delegates had been pledged to support him.
Current party rules do not permit Biden to pass them to another candidate. Politically, though, his endorsement is likely to be influential. And while DePoe said the way forward "isn't set in stone," he would be comfortable supporting Harris.
"That's just my personal opinion right now," he said. "But I think she would protect everything the president and his administration has done."
What could happen at the convention?
With Biden stepping aside, Democrats technically start with an open convention. But realistically, his endorsement pushes Democrats into murky territory.
The immediate burden is on Harris to solidify support across almost 4,000 delegates from the states, territories and the District of Columbia, plus more than 700 so-called superdelegates that include party leaders, certain elected officials and former presidents and vice presidents.
Will anyone challenge Harris?
Even before Biden announced his decision, Democrats floated California Gov. Gavin Newsom and Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer as potential contenders in addition to Harris. Yet some Democrats argued publicly, and many privately, that it would be a no-brainer to elevate the first woman, first Black woman and first person of south Asian descent to hold national office.
Given how important Black voters — and Black women especially — were to Biden's nomination and his choice of Harris as running mate, it would be risky, to say the least, for Democrats to pass her over for a white nominee. Democrats already faced historical headwinds before Biden's withdrawal. Newsom and Whitmer, both of whom are white, and any other Democrat would also have to weigh the short-term and long-term benefits of challenging Harris now versus preserving goodwill for a future presidential primary.
Yet, fair or not, Harris also has not been viewed as an especially beloved or empowered vice president. The best scenario for her and Democrats is to quickly shore up support and project a united front. Democrats could even go forward with their plans for an early virtual vote — a move they'd planned to make sure Biden was selected ahead of Ohio's general election ballot deadline.
"We're going to have a contested convention, I guess, and pick our nominee there," is how delegate JoJo Burgess of Washington County summed up the situation.
Burgess said it remained to be seen how charged the decision could be.
"I know [Biden] has endorsed Vice President Harris, and I tend to want to get behind that," he said. "She was the vice president for a reason, and she's already one step away from holding the office."
Still, he added, "I'm open to hearing from other folks. It all depends on what we have in front of us. ... What's comfortable for me might not be comfortable for others."
Burgess said he'd been upset at the "pressure that was put on" Biden to step away from the campaign. "People jumped on him after one debate, and I had a problem with that. But I respect him making the decision."
What could happen at the convention?
Biden's campaign recently reported $91 million cash on hand. Allied Democratic campaign committees brought the total at his disposal to more than $240 million. Campaign finance experts agree generally that Harris could control all those funds since the campaign was set up in her name as well as Biden's. If Democrats do nominate someone other than Harris, party accounts could still benefit the nominee, but the Biden-Harris account would have more restrictions. For example, legal experts say it could become an independent expenditure political action committee but not simply transfer its balance to a different nominee.
How will a vice presidential nomination work?
The vice presidential nomination is always a separate convention vote. In routine years, the convention ratifies the choice of the nominee. If Harris closes ranks quickly, she could name her choice and have the delegates ratify it. In an extended fight, though, the vice presidency could become part of horse-trading — again, a return to conventions of an earlier era.
Can Republicans keep Harris off state ballots?
Any curveball during a U.S. presidential campaign is certain to produce a flurry of state and federal lawsuits in this hyper-partisan era, and some conservatives have threatened just that.
State laws, though, typically do not prescribe how parties choose their nominees for president. And some GOP figures — Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine and Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey — have worked already this year to ensure their party did not deny Democrats' routine ballot access.
