What Happens Next Now That Biden Has Dropped Out?
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Democratic delegates who pledged to vote for him now become ‘uncommitted’; president backs Harris
What would happen to the Biden campaign funds?
The Biden-Harris campaign has raised a considerable amount of money, and campaign-finance experts say that cash can’t simply be transferred to another candidate just because Biden dropped out—unless the nominee is Harris. Were Harris to assume the top of the ticket, funds donated toward the Biden-Harris campaign would be at her disposal since she and Biden were running together.
Should Harris succeed Biden at the top of the Democratic ticket, “She would maintain access to all the funds in the committee and could use them to advance her presidential candidacy,” said Shanna Ports, senior legal counsel at the Campaign Legal Center.
If Biden is replaced as the nominee by someone other than Harris, campaign-finance lawyers said, he could direct his campaign to transfer money to the Democratic National Committee. Some suggested that his campaign would have to settle debts and might be required to offer refunds for donations that were designated for the general election.
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