The Democratic rumblings of replacing President Joe Biden on the presidential ticket all but disappeared earlier this week as the nation reeled from the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump.
But with Trump not only on the mend, but overseeing a newly unified and resurgent GOP at the Republican National Convention this week, the concerns among Democrats about their chances in November went into full-blown panic behind the scenes.
The evidence revealed itself Wednesday, as conversations between Biden and top Democrats leaked to news media. One report revealed that Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries had both gone to Biden in recent days to tell him they believe remaining as the Democratic nominee will imperil Democrats’ chances of controlling either chamber of Congress next year.
A source close to former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, a staunch Biden ally, told Politico she would do “everything in her power” to convince him to withdraw from the race.
Credit: Anna Rose Layden/The New York Times
Credit: Anna Rose Layden/The New York Times
Also Wednesday, Democrats scrapped an earlier plan to quickly lock Biden in as the 2024 nominee with a virtual DNC roll call vote this week, nearly a month ahead of the Democratic convention, as polls show Trump dominating battleground state match-ups against the president.
One longtime Georgia donor told us Wednesday about an increasingly common view that replacing Biden with Vice President Kamala Harris could at least shrink the margins Republicans are expected to win by in November. That could spare some Democrats in close down-ticket races, even if the vice president did not defeat Trump either.
“With the Hail Mary of him getting out and us doing a Kamala, we could cut the margins … or else we’re going to lose the House and Senate,” the donor said, describing the election as “the fight of our lives.”
The idea is not universally embraced, however. One Capitol Hill Democrat said that even if Biden isn’t looking strong, there’s no consensus that Harris or another Democrat replacing Biden would do significantly better— and could even lose Biden voters in the process.
“I need to see empirical evidence that the vice president would be better than Biden. I haven’t seen it.”
Short of Biden making the decision to take himself out of the race, Democrats have few options and even fewer clues about a better path forward.
But the surprises in an already tumultuous race keep coming. The final blow for Democrats Wednesday came in the evening, when the White House announced that the president has tested positive for COVID-19. Although he is experiencing only mild symptoms, the news will take Biden off the campaign trail just as Republicans wrap up their so-far triumphant convention, when every day of campaigning counts.
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REPUBLICANS RISING. Everything seems to be breaking the GOP’s way these days.
- A new AP-NORC poll shows a growing number of Democrats think Biden should step down
- Biden tells BET he’d consider dropping out if a medical condition surfaced, giving himself wiggle room on the issue for the first time publicly.
- Biden’s internal critics successfully lobbied to delay his nomination by a week, prolonging the debate over his viability.
- The highest-profile Democratic lawmaker yet has called on Biden to withdraw. U.S. Rep. Adam Schiff of California, a Pelosi ally and Senate candidate, said he made the call because he has “serious concerns” about whether Biden can defeat Trump.
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Credit: Courtesy photo
Credit: Courtesy photo
JONESING. “It really does appear everyone is getting along at the RNC.”
That’s what one veteran Georgia politico snickered about a picture of Lt. Gov. Burt Jones standing side-by-side with former U.S. Sen. Kelly Loeffler in Milwaukee.
The two MAGA loyalists are potential future rivals for Georgia governor in 2026. But as Republicans grow more confident about former President Donald Trump’s victory in November, some of the tension between the two may have eased.
Why? Veteran political wags wouldn’t be surprised if Trump taps Loeffler, a billionaire executive who is also his top donor in Georgia, to a Cabinet post or another prominent White House position if he prevails in November.
That would smooth Jones’ path to the GOP nod for Georgia’s top job. But only a bit. Attorney General Chris Carr; U.S. Rep. Buddy Carter, R-St. Simons Island; and Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger are also considered potential GOP contenders.
Jones, by the way, said Wednesday that his field representatives have now held meetings in 109 of Georgia’s 159 counties.
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Credit: Hyosub Shin/AJC
Credit: Hyosub Shin/AJC
REMEMBER ABORTION? Our pal Jamie Dupree is in Milwaukee to cover his ninth RNC, and he tells the “Politically Georgia” podcast that he’s noticed a deafening silence at this year’s convention where the once-omnipresent issue of abortion used to be. Here’s more:
“One thing that has really struck me from Milwaukee is how the issue of abortion has simply disappeared from the GOP agenda, almost like it was not a big deal for Republicans, which we all know is not the case.
I have covered every convention since 1992 and abortion has always been a big deal for social conservatives within the GOP. And yet, just two years after Roe v Wade was overturned by the Supreme Court, Republicans are saying almost nothing about it. There is no one on the podium celebrating the fall of Roe v. Wade.
All I can figure out is that Donald Trump does not want to mess with the abortion issue at all because it is not a winning issue for the GOP nationally."
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RNC NOTEBOOK. The Politically Georgia team is on the ground in Milwaukee providing you news and updates from the Republican National Convention. Some highlights from Day 3:
Credit: Hyosub Shin/AJC
Credit: Hyosub Shin/AJC
- Lt. Gov. Burt Jones and Agriculture Commissioner Tyler Harper were seated in the VIP area behind former President Donald Trump and running mate JD Vance during Wednesday night’s programming. U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene received the same VIP treatment the day before.
Credit: Arvin Temkar/AJC
Credit: Arvin Temkar/AJC
- Newt Gingrich, the former U.S. House speaker who represented Georgia’s 6th Congressional District for two decades, had a primetime speaking slot Wednesday night. He gave Trump a ringing endorsement, as expected.
Credit: Arvin Temkar/AJC
Credit: Arvin Temkar/AJC
- The mayor of East Palestine, Ohio, did not mention Atlanta-based Norfolk Southern as he bashed President Joe Biden’s handling of a catastrophic derailment of one of that company’s trains in his hometown last year. Instead, he used the tragedy as an example of what he described as Trump’s superior leadership abilities.
Credit: Arvin Temkar/AJC
Credit: Arvin Temkar/AJC
- The hottest new accessory on the floor of the convention this week was a fake ear bandage. Really.
Credit: Hyosub Shin/AJC
Credit: Hyosub Shin/AJC
- The fourth and final night of the RNC will include speeches from Eric Trump, former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, and former President Donald Trump, accepting the Republican nomination. Trump is expected to be introduced by Ultimate Fighting Championship CEO Dana White.
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Credit: Hyosub Shin/AJC
Credit: Hyosub Shin/AJC
GREY POWER. After years of growth among Georgia’s younger voters, senior citizens are now the fastest-growing group of voters in Georgia, according to analysis by the AJC’s Phoebe Quinton.
The fact likely benefits Republicans in November, according to some political scientists, especially since the majority of senior voters in the state are white.
“When we think about populations being older and whiter, we see that as favoring Republican candidates in elections,” said Andra Gillespie, a political scientist at Emory University. “Those voters are more likely to be Republicans than Democrats.”
But don’t jump to too many conclusions just yet. The Wall Street Journal reported earlier this summer that older voters have become an unexpected swing group this year, narrowly, but consistently, favoring President Joe Biden over Trump.
Closer to home, registration among seniors has reached a new peak in Georgia. More than 1 in 5 registered voters in Georgia are over 65 years old, and almost 1 in 10 are over 75 years old, according to the AJC analysis. There are nearly 1 million new senior voters in Georgia since 2008, representing an 8 percentage point increase in their share of the state’s electorate.
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Credit: Natrice Miller/AJC
Credit: Natrice Miller/AJC
LIVE FROM SAVANNAH. The “Politically Georgia” tour is making a stop on the Georgia coast. The team will be in Savannah at 5:30 p.m. on Monday for a live taping featuring U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock, D-Ga.
We are currently at capacity with RSVPs, but if you want to attend add your name to the waitlist for last-minute openings.
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Credit: Hyosub Shin/AJC
Credit: Hyosub Shin/AJC
LISTEN UP. The “Politically Georgia” show is coming from Milwaukee all week for the Republican National Convention.
U.S. Rep. Mike Collins, R-Jackson, will join the show today to respond to criticism from Georgia Democrats and the Wall Street Journal editorial board, who said a social media post crossed a line by accusing President Joe Biden of ordering the assassination attempt against former President Donald Trump.
Then state Sen. Josh McLaurin, D-Atlanta, will share how his national profile has risen because of his old ties to former law school roommate, U.S. Sen. JD Vance of Ohio, the Republican vice presidential candidate.
Listen live at 10 a.m. on WABE 90.1 or follow “Politically Georgia” on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.
On Wednesday’s show, U.S. Rep. Rich McCormick, R-Suwanee, discussed why he thinks Vance was an inspired choice to join former President Donald Trump’s ticket. He also shared how his relationship with Trump has evolved after initially endorsing Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ presidential campaign.
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Credit: Arvin Temkar/AJC
Credit: Arvin Temkar/AJC
EMAIL EVIDENCE. Two new rule changes approved by the State Election Board in a possibly illegal meeting last week appear to have been dictated by the Georgia Republican Party, the AJC’s David Wickert reports.
Wickert obtained copies of emails that show Georgia GOP Chairman Josh McKoon sent the text for the rules to board member Rick Jeffares several days before the meeting. McKoon also shared talking points summarizing why the rules should be adopted.
Jeffares and two other Republican board members later approved one of the rules McKoon suggested and approved a scaled-back version of the other.
On Wednesday, two of the Republican board members defended their actions. They said the meeting was legal and — though they were appointed to the board by Republicans — they are not doing the party’s bidding.
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Credit: Susan Walsh/AP
Credit: Susan Walsh/AP
TODAY IN WASHINGTON:
- President Joe Biden has cleared his schedule of all public events after announcing he had tested positive for COVID-19.
- The House and Senate are in recess all week as Republicans convene in Milwaukee.
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AS ALWAYS, Politically Georgia readers are some of our favorite tipsters. Send your best scoop, gossip and insider info to greg.bluestein@ajc.com, tia.mitchell@ajc.com, patricia.murphy@ajc.com and adam.vanbrimmer@ajc.com.
