US House Democrats set to protest Biden’s ‘virtual’ nomination

By Richard Cowan

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – At least three U.S. House Democrats were set to sign a letter protesting a plan to fast-track the party’s official endorsement of President Donald Trump. Joe BidenDonald Trump’s re-election campaign ended Tuesday, lawmakers’ offices said.

The Democrats are protesting the party’s decision to hold a “virtual roll call” vote on Biden’s nomination as early as July 21, instead of waiting until the Aug. 19-22 Democratic National Convention in Chicago.

Democratic Reps. Susan Wild, Mike Quigley and Jared Huffman plan to sign the letter, representatives for each lawmaker said when contacted by Reuters.

“Stifling debate and prematurely ending any possible change in the Democratic ticket with an unnecessary and unprecedented ‘virtual roll call’ in the coming days is a terrible idea,” a copy of the draft letter seen by Reuters said. “It could profoundly undermine Democratic morale and unity.”

The effort is separate from that of 19 congressional Democrats who have called on Biden, 81, to end his campaign after a faltering performance in the June 27 debate against his Republican opponent. Donald TrumpBut it is evidence of continued unrest within the outgoing president’s party over his campaign.

Representative of the United States Adam SchiffA California Democrat running for his state’s Senate seat who was not among the 19 candidates warned donors in a private meeting that his party would likely suffer significant losses if Biden continued his re-election campaign, The New York Times reported Tuesday. A spokesman for Schiff’s campaign declined to comment.

Last month’s debate raised concerns within the party about Biden’s ability to beat Trump and his suitability for another four years in the high-pressure job.

Thirty-nine percent of Democrats surveyed in a Reuters/Ipsos poll conducted on Tuesday said they thought Biden should end his campaign for the White House, slightly higher than the 32% who said so in a Reuters/Ipsos poll conducted days after the debate.

The letter has not yet been sent to the DNC and is circulating widely among House Democrats, according to congressional sources.

Democrats fear that a poor showing by Biden in the Nov. 5 election could cost their party not only control of the White House but also both houses of Congress, paving the way for a second Trump administration that would be able to pursue its policy goals with virtually no Democratic opposition.

Republicans followed their party’s standard procedure in formally nominating Trump at their convention in Milwaukee on Monday.

Some speculate that if Biden abandons his re-election campaign, the Democratic Party could coalesce around Vice President Kamala Harris as its presidential candidate.

Some Democrats, however, may insist on a more open process that would allow other potential candidates to run for the nomination less than three months before the general election.

Some feared that the August Democratic convention to crown a candidate would come too late to get that candidate on the Ohio ballot.

The letter to the DNC argues that Ohio passed a law to remove that hurdle, making July’s virtual roll call vote unnecessary.

(Reporting by Richard Cowan; additional reporting by Rami Ayyub and Makini Brice; editing by Scott Malone and Alistair Bell)