The delegates will decide the next Democratic nominee as a groundswell forms for Harris

The president on Sunday backed Harris to replace him as his successor, but his preference is just that – a preference. The makeup of ticket now rests with the roughly 4,700 delegates who will, in the coming weeks, vote for a new standard-bearer.

Interviews with more than two dozen delegates in the immediate aftermath of Biden’s announcement suggest the vice president is the clear leader. Delegates pledged to Biden are under no obligation to support his choice, but their loyalty to him and his wishes suggests the lion’s share will quickly fall in line behind Harris. Many already have; some are now contacting other delegates, with no input yet from Harris’ campaign, to shore up her support.

“Every one of us (delegates) were vetted and worked for Biden or the Biden campaign in some way, whether we volunteered or donated or something. These are all Biden people,” said Joe Caiazzo, a Biden delegate from Massachusetts who praised the president’s “selfless, patriotic” decision.

What follows is less than certain – and unprecedented in modern political history.

Current party rules were largely designed to pass the nominating process off to primary voters and ahead of an orderly, made-for-TV roll call vote to confirm their choice. But that pro forma process is not set in stone. The Democratic National Committee will likely need to do more work, either through interpretation of their existing rules or by passing new ones, to clarify the next steps.

“In short order, the American people will hear from the Democratic Party on next steps and the path forward for the nomination process,” DNC Chair Jaime Harrison said on Sunday.

Even before Biden’s bolt landed, Democrats were at odds over when and how the nominating vote would take place.

Under a proposed plan outlined Friday to the convention rules committee, it would be up to Harrison and convention chair Minyon Moore to set a specific date for voting to begin, though not before August 1. Delegates would vote via digital ballots, with at least 24 hours’ notice, much like they did in 2020 during the largely remote convention. That year, voting ran for nearly two weeks and, of the 4,747 ballots they sent out, only over a dozen were not returned, according to Andrew Binns, a senior adviser to the convention.

An open letter from more than 75 current and former DNC members, shared with CNN, praised Biden for his decision to give way “to a new generation of public servants” and insisted that Harris is “the only person that can credibly claim the torch from the Biden-Harris Administration.”

“We also firmly believe that Vice President Harris and her Vice Presidential selection will help Democratic candidates for U.S. House, Senate, and in the states we need to win in November, enabling us to enact laws that truly benefit the American people,” the authors said, addressing one of the concerns that led so many Democratic lawmakers to call for Biden to step aside.

In the critical swing state of Michigan, where party chair Lavora Barnes almost immediately endorsed Biden, the leadership of the “uncommitted” movement – which won about 30 delegates during a protest campaign against the president’s handling of Israel’s war in Gaza – opened the door for Harris.

“It’s time to align our actions with our values,” said Layla Elabed in a statement datelined Dearborn, a Detroit suburb where more than half of the population is of Middle Eastern or North African descent. “Vice President Harris can start the process to earn back trust by turning the page from Biden’s horrific policies in Gaza.”

Harris made headlines in March when she called for a ceasefire in Gaza during a speech on the anniversary of “Bloody Sunday” at the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama.

One California delegate, who like others spoke to CNN on the condition of anonymity to offer a candid assessment in this pivotal moment, said he’s “relieved” and “excited” after hearing Biden stepped down. The delegate, who wanted Biden to quit the race after seeing his shaky performance in last month’s presidential debate, said he hoped Harris would replace Biden at the top of the ticket, calling her the “strongest” candidate.

Another California delegate said she’s “feeling a huge sense of relief.” She had privately been concerned about Biden’s viability following the debate and hoped for weeks he would step aside.

“We couldn’t go on like that any longer,” the delegate said, “without jeopardizing the entire election up and down the ballot.”

A Massachusetts delegate told CNN that while he still strongly supports Biden’s agenda, the president’s “vision has failed to reach Americans.” The delegate said he has not yet decided who to support for the nomination, and believes the party needs a leader who “can help Americans understand what’s at stake.”

Another erstwhile Biden delegate from Colorado said, “It is long overdue that there is a competitive nomination for president” at the Democratic convention. She also told CNN she’s not yet decided on who to support for the nomination. When asked about Harris, the delegate said she’s not convinced the vice president can win in November.

“It is not clear that (Harris) is the best candidate to defeat Donald Trump,” she said.

A delegate from Florida told CNN he’s “disappointed” Biden dropped out and said Democrats owe Biden “a debt of gratitude” for winning the 2020 election and “setting up Democrats to defeat Trump again.”

He said he’s taking his cues from Biden and plans to back Harris, who has been making calls to Democratic lawmakers asking for their support as she tries to consolidate the party over the coming days.

In South Carolina, one Democratic delegate told CNN they were “sad” to hear the news, noting that the Palmetto State had been so critical in Biden’s primary victory four years ago.

“We saved and relaunched Biden’s campaign, so it’s sad to see his electoral career – that we take a lot of pride in - come to an end,” the delegate said, while also warning that this affection and loyalty would not necessarily be passed on to Harris.

The delegate told CNN they would prefer Harris “wins in a competitive process,” reasoning that that “she’d be a stronger nominee if she isn’t anointed.” Though getting the support of Rep. Jim Clyburn, the state’s most powerful Democrats and a close Biden ally, could settle the matter,

“He’s still the titan of politics in South Carolina,” the delegate said. “Is he going to put his full shoulder into whipping for Harris? That’s all unanswered,”

In a statement issued shortly after Biden’s, Harris on Sunday confirmed she is running for president and said she was “honored” to receive Biden’s endorsement. Harris said she intends to “earn and win” the presidential nomination in her first public statement since Biden’s stunning announcement.

“Over the past year, I have traveled across the country, talking with Americans about the clear choice in this momentous election. And that is what I will continue to do in the days and weeks ahead,” Harris said, before hinting at the condensed timeframe. “We have 107 days until Election Day. Together, we will fight. And together, we will win.”

Shasti Conrad, chair of the Washington state Democrats, said the party is currently calling all their delegates to get a “temperature check” and make sure everyone has up-to-date information on the process ahead. They have a group call scheduled for later Sunday.

Conrad, who officially endorsed Harris, is the first South Asian women to lead a state party and said she is “thrilled” that Harris is on track to become the nominee.

“It really means that we are fully a part of this American story,” Conrad said, “and that people who look like her and look like myself in this country have a place in leadership.”

Delegates expressing loyalty to Biden suggest that Harris will likely gain significant support, given that they are contacts and supporters of his campaign. However, the Democratic National Committee may need to clarify the next steps in the nomination process, as current rules are not sufficiently clear.

Regardless of the Democratic National Committee's decision, the American people will soon hear from the party about the path forward for the nomination process.

The delegates will decide the next Democratic nominee as a groundswell forms for Harris