An influential Republican group is already preparing for a counterfight should Democrats try to knock Joe Biden off the top of the ticket.
“Due to President Biden’s rapid decline, as seen in his bizarre episode at the G-7, The Oversight Project is taking the unprecedented step to release this draft,” said Mike Howell, executive director of The Heritage Foundation’s Oversight Project. , in a statement.
‘We are following calls from across the country for President Biden to step aside, either now or before the election, and have concluded that the replacement and withdrawal process is very complicated. “We will continue to ensure that appropriate election integrity procedures are followed.”
If Joe Biden were to withdraw at some point before the Democratic National Convention, it would be up to Democratic National Committee delegates to choose a new candidate. But from there, they can expect legal challenges from Republicans seeking to prevent any other Democratic candidates from appearing on the ballots in certain states.
An influential Republican group is already preparing for a counterfight should Democrats try to knock Joe Biden off the top of the ticket.
The Heritage Oversight project has set its sights on three contentious swing states where they believe removing Biden from the Democratic ticket would not allow anyone else to replace him: Georgia, Nevada and Wisconsin.
Wisconsin does not allow ballot withdrawal for any reason other than death.
In Nevada, no changes can be made to the ballot after 5 pm on the fourth Friday in June of an election year or “a candidate dies or is declared insane or mentally incompetent.”
If Biden were to withdraw less than 60 days before the Georgia election, his name would remain on the ballot but the votes would not be counted.
In Texas, candidates from both parties have until the 74th day before the election to withdraw from the ballot. Some states, such as South Carolina, do not allow candidates to withdraw for political reasons.
Some states have no law to deal with the resignation of a presidential candidate, and there is little precedent for such a situation occurring.
Biden, to be clear, has said publicly that he has no intention of retiring. But he has long been overwhelmed by speculation about his cognitive decline.
The memo concluded: “Policymakers and the public must be prepared for all externalities that arise if President Biden does not run for president in 2024. The replacement and retirement process presents many election integrity issues.”
“Enforcement of the law in some states may result in that process not being successful in order for another candidate to be on the ballot.”
While at the annual G-7 economic summit in Italy, Biden was barely seen in public, and administration officials were quick to dismiss a clip of Biden appearing to walk away during a parachute demonstration.
Foreign media reports said Biden appeared “tired” and was “losing concentration” at times. Advisers are now worried about the personal toll it will take on Biden to see his son Hunter recently convicted of three felonies related to a 2018 gun purchase.
