What if the Democrats held an “open” convention and nobody came? That certainly looks like the spectacle we are about to see as Vice President Kamala Harris continues to accumulate endorsements from prominent elected officials and delegates to the Democratic National Convention.
One well-placed Democratic source who has been involved in the process put it quite simply when TPM asked about Harris securing the party’s nomination.
“It looks like its a foregone conclusion,” the source, who requested anonymity to discuss internal deliberations, said of Harris’ nomination.
The Harris campaign and the Democratic National Committee did not respond to requests for comment.
In recent weeks, as speculation President Joe Biden would drop ever pitch, there were growing calls from Democrats and op-ed columnists for an “open” and “transparent” process by which delegates to the convention would vote for the Democratic Party’s nominee. On Sunday evening, hours after the news broke about Biden’s withdrawal from the race, Democratic National Committee Chairman Jaime Harrison and convention Chair Minyon Moore sent an email to convention participants promising “a transparent and orderly process” despite the “unprecedented” situation.
There were already limitations in place that seemed set to prevent that process from resembling the old floor fights — the process through which major party nominees were selected prior to the reforms instituted ahead of the 1972 election. According to the convention rules committee, ballot access deadlines mean the Democrats’ nomination vote will have to take place ahead of the in-person convention, which starts in Chicago on Aug. 19. But at this point, more than any deadline, the major factor in just how “open” the convention may be seems to be the lack of serious challengers to Harris.
“It’s important not to have a coronation, but a legitimate process to earn this,” the source who has been involved in discussions about the convention told TPM. “But it turns out not many people are interested in throwing their hat in.”
Indeed, with all due respect to New Age author Marianne Williamson, who made a play for delegates, no major players appear to be mounting a similar effort. Before Biden dropped out and endorsed Harris, a trio of high profile Democratic governors, California’s Gavin Newsom, Michigan’s Gretchen Whitmer, and Illinois’ J.B. Pritzker, were all seen as potential contenders. However, within 24 hours of Biden exiting and making it clear Harris is his chosen successor, all three of them got behind her.
A consultant who works for multiple House Democrats, and who requested anonymity to discuss all of the behind the scenes wheeling and dealing, said the final hint of a challenge to Harris came early on Monday.
“The last person who was trying to make a play was J.B. Pritzker and it lasted all of three hours this morning,” the consultant said. “It wasn’t going to happen.”
A spokesperson for Pritzker did not respond to requests for comment.
The DNC will also include votes on other resolutions. While it appears the nomination vote won’t be too dramatic, the source involved in the conversations around the convention said we should expect to learn the technical details of how the process will play out shortly.
“By tonight or tomorrow morning, they will have clarity on how this is going to go,” the source said on Monday afternoon. “I’m fairly certain that this will be a virtual process wrapped up by the second or third week of August.”
That virtual vote will nominate both the party’s presidential and vice presidential candidates, which mean Harris has to choose a running mate before then. According to the convention source, the Harris campaign is already working on identifying her pick and the people under consideration include; Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper, and Sen. Mark Kelly (D-AZ).
“Vetting is underway,” the source said.
The Best Of TPM Today
The latest from Josh Kovensky: Trumpworld Howls Over The Switch From Biden To Harris
Catch up on our live coverage of Biden’s drop out and endorsement of VP Kamala Harris: Democrats Rally Around Harris As Trump Splutters
Yesterday’s Most Read Story
After Biden Withdraws, Democrats Quickly Move To Coalesce Around Harris — TPM Staff
What We Are Reading
In the new 2024 race, Trump hedges on debating Kamala Harris
RFK Jr. floated a job in a Trump White House as he weighed endorsing Trump
MAGA Crowd Melts Down After Mike Pence Says Something Reasonable
AOC shamed any wayward Dems from even thinking of passing Harris over and low key endorsed her from the left.
Sort of pushed it front and center at an uncannily perfect time
I for one have been in a calm state these last three weeks, having prophesized that Biden would bow out and the party would quickly unite around Harris. I took that time as a necessary break from political media consumption.
I’ve got news for everybody: Harris’s victory in November is a foregone conclusion, too.
Nobody wants the shit-stew of womb-surveillance and monarchy that Organized Money has filled the GOP platform with, and nobody needs 105 more days to figure that out.
Everybody and their dog is standing by to pull the lever for Harris, and democracy, and reproductive freedom. Count on it.
Indeedâ¼ï¸
A blind person could figure out in a micro-second the reason why there will be no floor fight for the candidate to replace President Biden: It would help former President Donald J. Trump retake the Oval Office.
Congratulations Don the convicted, you felonious POS. You achieved your goal to be a uniter, not a divider…
Just not in the way you hoped