Republicans are in uproar after President Biden’s unexpected withdrawal from the 2024 presidential race before securing the official Democratic nomination. Former President Donald Trump slammed Biden as “unfit” for the presidency, while House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) simultaneously vowed “legal action” over Biden’s decision to drop out, showcasing their contradicting positions.
Disregarding Biden’s lack of official selection as the Democratic nominee, Johnson claimed on ABC’s “This Week” that certain states would be unable to replace Biden with another candidate before the November presidential election.
“So it would be wrong, and I think unlawful, in accordance to some of these states’ rules for a handful of people to go in a back room and switch it out because they’re, they don’t like the candidate any longer. That’s not how this is supposed to work,” Johnson argued to co-anchor Martha Raddatz. So I think they would run into some legal impediments in at least a few of these jurisdictions.”
Legal expert Richard Hasen rebuked Johnson’s claims that the Democratic Party could not legally replace Biden on the ticket, noting that Biden remains a presumptive nominee until the Democratic National Convention officially confirms the selection.
“Joe Biden is not the party’s nominee now, and states generally point to the major party’s nominee as the one whose name is on the ballot,” Hasen clarified in a recent analysis.
Asked about potential strategies if Vice President Kamala Harris were to assume the Democratic mantle, Johnson said, “It doesn’t matter who they put at the top of the ticket,” Johnson said. “Whether it’s Kamala Harris or anyone else, the policies of the Biden administration are what really matter,” Johnson asserted. “Voters need to focus on these issues, not just personalities.”
Despite polling suggesting a competitive race with Harris as the nominee, Johnson expressed confidence in the GOP’s readiness for the electoral challenge ahead.
“I mean, it’s no contest, and everybody knows that, and I think that’s why we’re in such a good position. I think this election should not be about personalities, but about policies,” Johnson asserted.
Raddatz pushed back, pointing out that at a rally in Grand Rapids, Michigan, on Saturday night, former President Donald Trump had labeled Harris as “crazy” and “nuts.”
“President Trump was attacking her personally, as you know, last night,” Raddatz said. “He wasn’t really talking about her policies
Johnson responded that Democrats have similarly criticized Trump.
“We could run the tape of the terrible things that Kamala Harris has said about Donald Trump, of course, and Biden, as well, and everybody in the Democrat leadership. I mean, we’re accustomed to it now. It’s their standard practice,” Johnson said.
Meanwhile, Trump took to Truth Social to lambast Biden as “unfit” for the presidency.
“Crooked Joe Biden was never fit to run for President, and certainly isn’t fit to serve – and never was! He only became President through lies, Fake News, and by hiding in his basement,” Trump wrote. “Everyone around him, including his Doctor and the Media, knew he wasn’t capable of being President, and he wasn’t – and now look at what he’s done to our Country, with millions of people pouring across our Border, unchecked and unvetted, many from prisons, mental institutions, and record numbers of terrorists. We will suffer greatly because of his presidency, but we will quickly repair the damage he has caused. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!”
