Clyburn’s discussion of a ‘mini-primary’ fuels more talk of whether Biden should end his campaign

NEW YORK (AP) — He is often credited as the man who delivered the Democratic nomination to Joe Biden with a pivotal endorsement four years ago.

But on Wednesday, Rep. James Clyburn, D-S.C., sent a resounding message to the president and elected officials across the nation that it may be time to move on.

Clyburn, a Biden campaign co-chair, outlined a process to replace Biden during an interview with CNN. Should Biden step aside, Clyburn said, he expects a “mini-primary” featuring Vice President Kamala Harris, governors and others in the run-up to the Democratic National Convention in August.

“You can actually fashion the process that’s already in place to make it a mini-primary and I would support that,” said Clyburn, who also spoke to Biden on Wednesday in a conversation his office refused to discuss.

Clyburn’s decision to spell out in detail how Biden might be replaced was viewed as a clarion call by some top donors, party insiders and even members of Biden’s campaign who increasingly believe that the 81-year-old president will be forced to step aside following a debate performance that shook the party’s confidence in his ability to defeat Republican former President Donald Trump in November.

The extraordinary remarks echoed throughout the private conversations of donors, Democratic National Committee members and even Biden’s campaign staff, according to multiple participants who spoke on the condition of anonymity to share sensitive discussions. In response to Clyburn’s latest comments, at least one member of Biden’s finance committee predicted that the president would not survive the political crisis.

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