Kamala Harris has emerged as the Democratic Party’s front-runner, with President Joe Biden throwing his support behind her after withdrawing from the race. However, some on the left are still advocating for an open convention in August, where delegates may not coalesce around a single candidate on the first round of voting.
An open convention, also known as a brokered convention, is a rare occurrence in American politics where delegates are released from their initial pledges and candidates have to vie for support in subsequent rounds of voting. While Harris currently holds a significant lead in delegate support, there is still a possibility for another candidate to challenge her at the convention.
Potential alternative candidates to Harris include Gavin Newsom, Gretchen Whitmer, J.B. Pritzker, Josh Shapiro, and Roy Cooper. With the Democratic National Convention just weeks away, Harris faces the challenge of solidifying her support, while other contenders have a limited window to make their case and win over undecided delegates.