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As pressure builds on Biden to drop out of the race, we are taking a look at what would happen at the Democratic National Convention if he isn’t there.
DENVER — Colorado’s 72 delegates are bound to vote for President Biden, if he is still a candidate when the Democratic National Convention conducts its roll call.
If Biden drops out before then, it becomes a free-for-all.
A dozen more Democratic lawmakers have called for President Biden to stop running for reelection, with Ohio Sen. Sherrod Brown being the most notable.
Following the Republican National Convention nomination speech by former President Donald Trump on Thursday, Biden’s campaign put out a statement saying he would be back on the campaign trail next week.
To become the Democratic nominee, a candidate will need 1,976 delegate votes at the DNC.
The convention is Aug 19-22 in Chicago. Though there is a push by DNC leaders to hold a virtual roll call to select the nominee earlier in the month. There is concern that a ballot deadline in Ohio could create a legal challenge to getting Biden’s name on the ballot in that state.
If Biden goes to the convention (or virtual roll call), he is already pledged about 3,900 delegate votes. Nearly twice the number he needs for the nomination.
That includes the 72 delegate votes from Colorado.
“It’s important to recognize that every single delegate in Colorado has pledged to vote for the President,” Colorado Democratic Party Chair Shad Murib said.
In the March presidential primary, Biden earned enough support for all of Colorado’s delegates to be bound to vote for him.
“Every delegate in the country is pledged. This is a reform that was created after 1968’s contested convention. And so, this is not a new rule. Every delegate that has been sent to Chicago from Colorado or Minnesota or California or wherever, is committed to vote for the president,” Murib said.
DNC-narios
What happens if Biden drops out before the convention?
Anyone who wants to be nominated must get 300 signatures from delegates, with no more than 50 from any one state.
A process that has not begun behind the scenes.
“Right now, there is no effort underway for any new candidate to be placed into nomination,” Murib said. “If Biden were to drop out, and again, there’s no indication that he’s leaving this race here as of this moment, certainly, if it was an open convention situation, you’d have many candidates wrestling to get those signatures to be placed into nomination.”
No doubt Vice President Kamala Harris would be nominated, but there will likely be others as well.
And the Biden-committed delegates from Colorado would not automatically be committed to Harris.
“If, for whatever reason, he chooses not to run, and he’s made clear he’s staying in this race, our delegates would, of course, look to his guidance and his support for any other candidate, should he choose to provide it, especially Vice President Harris, and weigh that decision pretty seriously,” Murib said.
In other words, it would be a free-for-all, with perhaps a recommendation.
“If President Biden, for whatever reason, decided to change course and not compete in this election, we would take his opinion very seriously,” Murib said.
That would open up Colorado’s 72 delegates to split from each other and vote for their favorite option.
“Of course, it’d be great to speak with one voice, but every delegate is, of course, their own person with their own concerns for this country,” Murib said.
Should the convention be open, and should the convention go into multiple rounds of voting, Colorado’s delegation increases from 72 to 87.
After one round of voting, Colorado’s auto-delegates, the people used to be known as “superdelegates,” will get to participate.
Superdelegates include Colorado’s nine members of Congress, Murib, Colorado’s Democratic Party vice chair and the four DNC committee members from Colorado.
Who would Murib vote for if it were not Biden?
“I think the President Biden and Vice President Harris have accomplished a lot for Colorado,” Murib said.
Is he among those trying to encourage Biden to step aside?
“No, I’ve been working hard to make sure that the President has all the support he needs to be successful this fall. And that’s where I put my energy,” Murib said.
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