# Can the Democratic party nominate someone other than the incumbent President at their convention? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Tags:** trump\ **Created:** [June 28, 2024, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-democratic-party-nominate-someone-other-than-the-incumbent-president-at-their-convention/1003428 "2024-06-28T02:45:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2024, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-democratic-party-nominate-someone-other-than-the-incumbent-president-at-their-convention/1003428/1 "2024-06-28T02:45:58Z")
Serious question regarding party rules etc. I believe that is the only hope we have to not see a reelection of Trump. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2024, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-democratic-party-nominate-someone-other-than-the-incumbent-president-at-their-convention/1003428/2 "2024-06-28T02:47:47Z")
Short answer: No. Long answer: The delegates are bound to their pledged votes on the first ballot, which Biden has already won, so no. ---
**Author:** ![flurb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/51bf81/32.png) [@flurb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flurb)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2024, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-democratic-party-nominate-someone-other-than-the-incumbent-president-at-their-convention/1003428/3 "2024-06-28T02:52:25Z")
The delegates can change the rules to unbind those delegates pledged to Biden. The first thing the convention will do is adopt any changes to their rules. ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2024, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-democratic-party-nominate-someone-other-than-the-incumbent-president-at-their-convention/1003428/4 "2024-06-28T03:01:20Z")
Could Biden go into the convection refusing to be nominated forcing the nomination of another candidate? And if so, could he be convinced to do that? ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2024, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-democratic-party-nominate-someone-other-than-the-incumbent-president-at-their-convention/1003428/5 "2024-06-28T03:04:12Z")
> [@Omar\_Little](#): > > Could Biden go into the convection refusing to be nominated forcing the nomination of another candidate? A Democrat tried that once. The result was President Nixon. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2024, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-democratic-party-nominate-someone-other-than-the-incumbent-president-at-their-convention/1003428/6 "2024-06-28T03:06:27Z")
We do have a third party. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2024, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-democratic-party-nominate-someone-other-than-the-incumbent-president-at-their-convention/1003428/7 "2024-06-28T03:07:33Z")
No, we have an assembly of cranks and Russian stooges pretending to be “alternatives”. ---
**Author:** ![flurb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/51bf81/32.png) [@flurb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flurb)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2024, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-democratic-party-nominate-someone-other-than-the-incumbent-president-at-their-convention/1003428/8 "2024-06-28T03:13:18Z")
LBJ announced that he would not accept renomination well before the convention. To answer the question, the Democratic National Convention can do whatever a majority of delegates decides. The current rules are [available here](https://democrats.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/2024-Call-for-Convention.pdf). But as I said, one of the first orders of business will be the consideration of any proposed changes to the rules. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2024, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-democratic-party-nominate-someone-other-than-the-incumbent-president-at-their-convention/1003428/9 "2024-06-28T03:14:48Z")
> [@flurb](#): > > LBJ announced that he would not accept renomination well before the convention. The result will be the same if Biden steps aside now. ---
**Author:** ![Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kolak_of_twilo/32/73_2.png) [@Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kolak_of_Twilo)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2024, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-democratic-party-nominate-someone-other-than-the-incumbent-president-at-their-convention/1003428/10 "2024-06-28T03:32:37Z")
VP Kamala Harris is on CNN right now and will be on MSNBC shortly for those who care to see what she has to say. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2024, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-democratic-party-nominate-someone-other-than-the-incumbent-president-at-their-convention/1003428/11 "2024-06-28T03:41:24Z")
I’m confused by the question. How would the Democrats conceding the election stop Trump? ---
**Author:** ![Great\_Antibob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47c2d/32.png) [@Great\_Antibob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Great_Antibob)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2024, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-democratic-party-nominate-someone-other-than-the-incumbent-president-at-their-convention/1003428/12 "2024-06-28T03:45:31Z")
Well, it’s that old saying - Republicans fall in line. Democrats fall in (or out of) love ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2024, 4:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-democratic-party-nominate-someone-other-than-the-incumbent-president-at-their-convention/1003428/13 "2024-06-28T04:03:12Z")
> [@Omar\_Little](#): > > I believe that is the only hope we have to not see a reelection of Trump. If they pick anyone but Biden, trump will win. > [@Chronos](#): > > I’m confused by the question. How would the Democrats conceding the election stop Trump? Biden is _old_, dontchaknow. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2024, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-democratic-party-nominate-someone-other-than-the-incumbent-president-at-their-convention/1003428/14 "2024-06-28T04:15:12Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > I’m confused by the question. How would the Democrats conceding the election stop Trump? Why would that be conceding? When a team benches their starting quarterback and promotes another, is that “giving up on winning?” To the contrary, they’re trying to go with the guy who gives the **best** chance of winning. There’s still 4.5 months before Election Day - plenty of time to coalesce around a guy like Newsom. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2024, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-democratic-party-nominate-someone-other-than-the-incumbent-president-at-their-convention/1003428/15 "2024-06-28T04:17:17Z")
> [@Velocity](#): > > Why would that be conceding? When a team benches their starting quarterback and promotes another, is that “giving up on winning? So, Biden did poorly in one debate, so lets dump him and bring in someone the voters didnt pick! 🙄 Joe is the only one who can beat trump. Anyone else is handing the election to trump. ---
**Author:** ![Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kolak_of_twilo/32/73_2.png) [@Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kolak_of_Twilo)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2024, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-democratic-party-nominate-someone-other-than-the-incumbent-president-at-their-convention/1003428/16 "2024-06-28T04:18:57Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > If they pick anyone but Biden, trump will win. I understand why you say this but I’m not 100% convinced. There are others. For one, it would throw off the DJT campaign. I can’t tell you who the person would be and I don’t buy it has to be Harris. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2024, 4:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-democratic-party-nominate-someone-other-than-the-incumbent-president-at-their-convention/1003428/17 "2024-06-28T04:33:44Z")
> [@Velocity](#): > > When a team benches their starting quarterback and promotes another, is that “giving up on winning?” To the contrary, they’re trying to go with the guy who gives the **best** chance of winning. > > There’s still 4.5 months before Election Day - plenty of time to coalesce around a guy like Newsom. This isn’t a football team. The corporate entity “Joe Biden for President” can’t just turn itself into “Gavin Newsom for President” overnight, and they can’t just give all their money and employees to some other corporation. A new candidate would be starting from scratch four months before the election and there’s no way they could catch up to Trump in that time. If Biden drops out, Trump wins. ---
**Author:** ![flurb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/51bf81/32.png) [@flurb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flurb)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2024, 4:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-democratic-party-nominate-someone-other-than-the-incumbent-president-at-their-convention/1003428/18 "2024-06-28T04:55:53Z")
I’d mentioned this in another thread, but I agree that you can’t just easily hand the keys over to a new Democratic nominee. Primarily, all of the hundreds of millions of dollars that Biden has raised through his Presidential campaign committee can only be used to support his run for President (they MIGHT be available to Harris since she’s currently on the ticket). The most he could do is return all of the funds he has raised to the original donors and beseech them to redonate them to Gavin Newsom or whoever. It would be easier for Democratic PACs to reorient their spending. ---
**Author:** ![CoolHandCox](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/coolhandcox/32/16233_2.png) [@CoolHandCox](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CoolHandCox)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2024, 4:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-democratic-party-nominate-someone-other-than-the-incumbent-president-at-their-convention/1003428/19 "2024-06-28T04:56:12Z")
I disagree. I think we put the country into a pressure cooker and have a Trump vs Hillary rematch. Turn everything up to 11. I’d be excited to vote for her. Lots of people would. It would be a good story. ---
**Author:** ![Sylvanz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/fbc32d/32.png) [@Sylvanz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sylvanz)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2024, 5:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-democratic-party-nominate-someone-other-than-the-incumbent-president-at-their-convention/1003428/20 "2024-06-28T05:06:30Z")
I like good stories. I, however, like _happy_ endings. dumpshit as President again would not be a happy ending. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-democratic-party-nominate-someone-other-than-the-incumbent-president-at-their-convention/1003428.md?page=2)