The Democratic National Committee is contemplating formally nominating Joe Biden as early as mid-July to ensure his name appears on November ballots and to suppress internal discussions about replacing him following a lackluster debate performance last week.
Sources familiar with the matter, speaking anonymously, indicated that a potential date for Biden’s nomination is July 21, coinciding with the virtual meeting of the Democratic convention’s credentials committee. This panel is set to finalize procedures ahead of the party’s convention, which begins on August 19 in Chicago.
Initially, Democrats planned to nominate Biden, 81, before the convention to meet Ohio’s previous August 7 certification deadline for candidates. Despite the deadline extension, an early nomination could also serve to quell speculation about a possible replacement or an open convention, spurred by Biden’s recent debate against Donald Trump. His performance has led some prominent Democrats to call for him to step aside in favor of a new contender.
In response, Biden’s allies have firmly rejected calls for the oldest president in U.S. history to end his reelection campaign. During the 2024 primary contest, Biden secured about 99% of his party’s pledged delegates. Nevertheless, concerns about his age and capability to complete a second term have persisted, as indicated by pre-debate polls.
The proposed July 21 nomination date falls 10 days after Trump’s sentencing in Manhattan for his felony conviction related to hush-money payments before the 2016 election. It also precedes Trump’s acceptance of the Republican nomination at the GOP convention in Milwaukee by just three days.
The DNC has already modified its rules to accommodate changes in convention dates and voting procedures, allowing for a possible roll-call vote before delegates convene in person in Chicago. This change, proposed by the Rules and Bylaws Committee, has since transferred to the Convention Rules Committee, which will meet on July 19 to formalize procedures for a virtual vote, according to Rules and Bylaws Committee Co-Chair Jim Roosevelt Jr.
The DNC’s platform committee is set to meet on July 16, the Rules Committee on July 19, and the Credentials Committee on July 21. All meetings will be held virtually and will be publicly viewable on the party’s YouTube channel.
