Clyburn’s talk of a ‘mini-primary’ further fuels discussions about whether Biden should end his campaign

NEW YORK (AP) — He is often regarded as the man who handed the Democratic nomination to Joe Biden with a decisive approval four years ago.

But on Wednesday, Rep. James Clyburn, D-S.C., sent a resounding message to the president and elected officials across the country that it might be time to move on.

Clyburn, Biden’s campaign co-chair, laid out a process for replacing Biden in an interview with CNN. If Biden steps down, Clyburn said, he expects a “mini-primary” with Vice President Kamala Harris, governors and others leading up to the Democratic National Convention in August.

“You can actually shape the process that’s already in place to make it a mini-primary and I would support that,” said Clyburn, who also spoke with Biden on Wednesday in a conversation his office declined to discuss.

Clyburn’s decision to lay out in detail how Biden could be replaced was seen as a clarion call by some top donors, party insiders and even members of Biden’s campaign who increasingly believe the 81-year-old president will be forced to step down after a debate performance that shook the party’s confidence in his ability to defeat Republican former President Donald Trump in November.

Those extraordinary remarks echoed in private conversations among donors, members of the Democratic National Committee and even Biden campaign staff, according to several participants who spoke on the condition of anonymity to share sensitive discussions. In response to Clyburn’s latest comments, at least one member of Biden’s finance committee predicted that the president would not survive the political crisis.

Indeed, the discussion among many insiders has begun to shift from whether Biden should stay in the race to the logistics of whether he should leave.

Clyburn spokeswoman Brianna Frias later clarified that he was responding to a hypothetical question and was not trying to revive the nomination race.

“He was not calling for a ‘mini primary,'” Frias said. “Rather, he was explaining the existing process. The congressman fully supports this president who is at the top of the ticket and it would be irresponsible to report anything to the contrary.”

A large group of party insiders want the incumbent president to stay in the race, believing he remains the party’s best hope for defeating Trump.

“I’m for Joe Biden. I encourage Joe Biden to continue to run for president and I believe he will be reelected,” said Dick Harpootlian, a South Carolina senator and Biden supporter. “Even in this weak position, I believe he will beat Donald Trump.”

Clyburn’s comment comes a day after former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi sent shockwaves through the party by raising questions about Biden’s fitness to serve. “It’s a legitimate question to say, is this an episode or is this a condition?” Pelosi said on MSNBC.

Biden vowed Wednesday to stay in the race.

“I’m running. I’m the leader of the Democratic Party. Nobody is pushing me to leave,” Biden said on a call with members of his re-election campaign, according to a senior adviser who posted his comment on the social media platform X.

Privately, Biden allies are increasingly worried that their chances of winning the House and Senate will diminish if Biden is on the ballot this fall. And major donors worry that Biden’s fundraising, while strong in June, will slow significantly this month, especially among the most generous donors.

New polls also show warning signs.

Trump had a slight lead over Biden in two polls of voters taken after the debate. But one of the polls… made by SSRS for CNN — found that three-quarters of voters, including more than half of Democratic voters, said the party had a better chance of winning the presidency in November with a candidate other than Biden.

About 7 in 10 voters — and 45% of Democrats — said Biden’s physical and mental abilities were a reason to vote against him.

At the same time, a growing number of Democratic officials believe Harris should be the frontrunner to replace Biden. Those in private discussions also acknowledge that California Gov. Gavin Newsom and Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer remain viable alternatives.

But some insiders see Harris as the only candidate who can quickly unify the party and avoid a messy and divisive convention fight.

Clyburn, who described Biden’s debate performance as “concerning,” said in an interview on MSNBC Tuesday that he would support Harris if Biden were to withdraw.

“This party should not do anything to bypass Ms. Harris,” Clyburn said. “We should do everything we can to support her, whether she’s second or top of the ticket.”

Meanwhile, Trump’s campaign hailed Democratic dysfunction in a statement predicting victory.

“President Trump will beat any Democrat on November 5 because he has a proven track record and a goal to make America great again,” said senior advisers Chris LaCivita and Susie Wiles.

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Associated Press reporters Lisa Mascaro in Washington, Meg Kinnard in Charlotte and Jill Colvin in New York contributed to this report.