Former DNC Chairs Urge Party to Stick to Original Plan for Virtual Biden Nomination

Background

The Democratic National Committee (DNC) is facing calls to delay a virtual roll call on President Joe Biden’s nomination, planned to occur as early as Sunday. This follows President Biden’s ill-fated performance in the June presidential debate, which sparked demands for him to step down from the ticket. Specifically, a letter circulated amongst Democratic lawmakers, suggests the early vote could quash internal party discussions and hinder potential changes to the Democratic ticket.

The DNC, however, has noted that the virtual roll has been on their itinerary since the spring, long before the demands for Biden’s resignation arose. Meanwhile, three former DNC chairs have issued a separate letter, urging party members to approve the virtual roll call and formally nominate Biden ahead of August’s in-person convention.

Dissenting voices and the former DNC Chairs’ response

The draft letter expressing objections to the early vote, first circulated by Democratic Rep. Jared Huffman, argues that taking this step could negatively impact the morale and unity of the Democratic party at a critical time. Supporters of the letter, including Rep. Mike Levin and Rep. Susan Wild, agree with this view.

In contrast, former DNC Chairs Donna Brazile, Howard Dean, and Terry McAuliffe have rallied behind the original plan, writing “we believe that a virtual process — before the in-person Convention begins … is necessary to ensure that the Democratic nominees for President and Vice President appear on the ballot in every state and in the District of Columbia without any possibility for a legal challenge”. They worry alternative approaches could rob voters of their rights and complicate the Democratic path to victory.

The issue of Ohio’s rescheduled certification deadline

In May, the DNC altered its operation to nominate Biden ahead of the August 7 deadline to comply with Ohio’s ballot access rules. Ohio then passed legislation that delayed the deadline until September 1, post-convention. Huffman’s letter points out that given this new window, there is no need to rush the nomination.

However, the former DNC Chairs believe that relying on Ohio’s modified certification deadline could be problematic. They argue that the extended deadline may not be binding due to the administrative proceedings and anticipate that this change may invite legal disputes from conservatives in a bid to exclude the Democratic nominees from the Ohio ballot.

The DNC’s stance on the proposed changes

DNC chair Jaime Harrison has dismissed insinuations that the virtual roll call has been sped up: “The timeline for the virtual roll call process remains on schedule and unchanged from when the DNC made that decision in May”. Staff with the Democratic convention have informed ABC News that delegates are yet to be trained on any virtual roll call system, as final plans are still being deliberated.

Future plans and reactions

The DNC’s Rules and Bylaws Committee approved the virtual roll call plan in June, but the three former chairs are urging for support from the Rules Committee members as the plan comes under scrutiny. Some members of the DNC oppose the plan. For instance, DNC member Jamie Selzler has openly criticized the virtual roll call, accusing the DNC of attempting to silence internal dissent. He has also revealed that other DNC members share his sentiments.

The Biden campaign at an unrelated conference in Milwaukee responded to questions on why they’re persisting with the virtual roll call. Quentin Fulks, Biden-Harris deputy campaign manager, stated “We’re going to continue on that path because we’re not going to leave it up to them to change the rules again”. This could signal an ongoing struggle between those pressing for procedural change and those eager to maintain the status quo.