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As dozens of Democratic party leaders are throwing their weight behind Kamala Harris to take over the presidential ticket, former New York City Mayor Mike Bloomberg says they should slow their roll.
In a statement released Monday, Bloomberg — a former Republican who tried a run for president as a Democrat in 2020 — urged the party to take its time deciding who to replace President Joe Biden with at the top of the ticket.
"Democrats now have a chance for a fresh new start, and while some elected leaders and party officials make their endorsements, there are still four weeks before the party's more than 4,000 delegates convene in Chicago," Bloomberg wrote in his statement. "That is more than enough time for the party to take the pulse of voters, especially in battleground states, to determine who is best positioned to win in November and lead the country over the next four years."
He continued, "We don't need to get a resolution right away, but we do need to get it right. The decision is too important to rush, because the election is too important to lose."
Bloomberg did not explicitly mention Harris in his statement; it's unclear what he thinks about the possibility of her, a fellow Democratic primary 2020 contender, becoming the Democratic nominee.
A representative for Bloomberg did not immediately respond to BI's request for comment.
Still, it's notable that he's not throwing his support behind her as many of his peers have already done.
Harris announced on Sunday that she intends to secure the 2024 Democratic nomination following Biden's stunning move to drop out of the race. Biden and dozens of other top party leaders — including Bill and Hillary Clinton, Rep. Nancy Pelosi, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and Rep. Jim Clyburn — were quick to endorse Harris for the presidency, with some voicing their support just minutes after Biden said he was stepping aside.
But in the midst of widespread support for Harris, Bloomberg isn't the only one going against the grain to suggest a lengthier nomination process.
Some Democrats have called for a mini-primary, which would allow potential Harris challengers to make their case ahead of an open convention in August. Sen. Joe Manchin, seen by some as a possible rival to Harris, ruled out running himself, but also said Democrats shouldn't rush to rally around a candidate.
Delaying the process further would likely rile up Republicans and the Trump campaign even more, who are already complaining about Democrats' last-minute decision to switch things up. And while taking longer to pick a nominee would give Democrats more time to research their options, it could also leave their campaign struggling to play catch-up to Donald Trump's.
