What's next after President Joe Biden drops reelection bid?

For weeks, many Democrats had been pushing Biden to exit the race. But as the pressure mounted, so did questions about how the Democratic party would move forward without the de facto nominee. 

Will Harris replace Biden? 

Before Biden announced he would drop out, many had already been pointing to Vice President Kamala Harris as the obvious successor if he were to drop out, and Biden seems to agree. 

In a statement on X, formerly Twitter, Biden endorsed Harris to replace him on the ticket. 

Because their campaign account was registered with the Federal Election Commission in the name of both candidates, Harris could use those funds for her own presidential effort, Kenneth Gross, senior political law counsel at Akin Gump and former associate general counsel for the Federal Election Commission said before Biden's announcement.

"My fellow Democrats, I have decided not to accept the nomination and to focus all my energies on my duties as President for the remainder of my term. My very first decision as the party nominee in 2020 was to pick Kamala Harris as my Vice President. And it’s been the best decision I’ve made. Today I want to offer my full support and endorsement for Kamala to be the nominee of our party this year. Democrats — it’s time to come together and beat Trump. Let’s do this," Biden wrote. 

When is the Democratic National Convention? 

Biden's decision to suspend his campaign throws a wrench in the planning for the Democratic National Convention, set to  be held next month. 

At the convention, held from Aug. 19 to Aug. 22, delegates were expected to formally select Biden as the Democratic nominee. The president had already secured enough delegate votes through the Democratic primaries to secure the nomination, but those delegates will now be free to vote for whomever they choose at the DNC. 

Despite this, it's likely that most if not all of Biden's delegates will go to Kamala Harris, who has the support of Biden and other top Democrats.   

Will anyone challenge Harris?

Even before Biden announced his decision, Democrats floated California Gov. Gavin Newsom and Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer as potential contenders in addition to Harris. Yet some Democrats argued publicly, and many privately, that it would be a no-brainer to elevate the first woman, first Black woman and first person of south Asian descent to hold national office.

Given how important Black voters -– and Black women especially -– were to Biden’s nomination and his choice of Harris as running mate, it would be risky, to say the least, for Democrats to pass her over for a white nominee. Democrats already faced historical headwinds before Biden's withdrawal. Newsom and Whitmer, both of whom are white, and any other Democrat would also have to weigh the short-term and long-term benefits of challenging Harris now versus preserving goodwill for a future presidential primary.

Yet, fair or not, Harris also has not been viewed as an especially beloved or empowered vice president. The best scenario for her and Democrats is to quickly shore up support and project a united front. Democrats could even go forward with their plans for an early virtual vote – a move they’d planned to make sure Biden was selected ahead of Ohio’s general election ballot deadline.

How will a vice presidential nomination work?

The vice presidential nomination is always a separate convention vote. In routine years, the convention ratifies the choice of the nominee. If Harris closes ranks quickly, she could name her choice and have the delegates ratify it. In an extended fight, though, the vice presidency could become part of horse-trading — again, a return to conventions of an earlier era.

Has this ever happened before?

A de facto nominee for a major political party has never dropped out at this stage of the race, putting the U.S. in uncharted waters politically. 

It's unclear if Harris has a better chance of beating former president Donald Trump in November, although some polls have been asking the question since Biden's debate fumble last month opened the possibility of replacing him on the ticket. 

The Associated Press contributed to this report.