Kamala Harris has become the official Democratic presidential nominee, but Donald Trump has been describing her elevation as “unconstitutional” and accusing her of participating in a “coup.” While there is no serious effort to challenge Harris’ status, some critics warn that Trump may be setting the stage to question the outcome of the 2024 election if he loses again. Democrats are preparing to gather in Chicago for a national convention to rally around Harris as their new standard-bearer after President Joe Biden decided not to seek reelection. The Democratic National Committee officially nominated Harris and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as their nominees for president and vice president, respectively, with Harris receiving 99% support from participating delegates during a virtual roll call.
The Republican party has acknowledged that there is no longer a path to challenge Harris’ placement on ballots after the DNC vote. Despite this, Trump has continued to complain about Harris’ ascension, especially as polls indicate a closer race than the one he led against Biden. Some speculate that his efforts to question Harris’ legitimacy as the nominee may be a way to set the groundwork to challenge the legitimacy of the upcoming election. John Bolton, a former national security adviser to Trump, believes that Trump may be setting the stage to claim that the election was stolen from him again in 2024 if he is not declared the winner, echoing his claims after the 2020 election.
In a conversation with Elon Musk, Trump labeled Harris’ elevation as “a scam” and accused top Democrats of forcing Biden out of the 2024 race, calling it a coup against a sitting president. He has also questioned the constitutionality of Harris taking over from Biden, with his supporters echoing concerns about legal hurdles that have not materialized. House Speaker Mike Johnson claimed that Democrats would face legal challenges in replacing the nominee at the top of the ticket, but election authorities in at least 48 states have stated that there are no obstacles preventing Harris from being on their ballots once she became the Democratic nominee.
Despite concerns raised by Trump and his supporters, legal experts have indicated that the courts are unlikely to support lawsuits challenging the addition of a new name to the Democratic ticket. Ben Ginsberg, a Republican campaign attorney, stated that as a legal matter, it is up to the convention to nominate a candidate, and courts typically defer to the party’s choice for its nominee. While some Republicans continue to question Harris’ legitimacy as the Democratic nominee, election authorities in the majority of states have confirmed that there are no barriers preventing her from being on the ballots. As the focus shifts to the 2024 election, the debate over Harris’ nomination continues to raise questions about the democratic process and the potential for legal challenges to upend the election results.
