United States President Joe Biden on Sunday, announced that he will end his candidacy for re-election in 2024 and endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris as the Democratic Party’s new nominee, saying "it is in the best interest of my party and the country".
The 81-year-old president's decision comes four months before Americans go to the polls on November 5.
Biden's decision gives Harris an opportunity to make history because her selection as Vice President was also seen as an acknowledgment of the critical role Black women have played in Democratic victories.
Harris, a former San Francisco district attorney, was elected in 2010 as the first Black woman to serve as California’s attorney general. Her election to the US Senate in 2016 made her only the second Black woman in the chamber’s history.
After Biden's decision to step down as Democratic Party's nominee for president, here we list some of the leading contenders likely to replace Biden.
-Born on October 20, 1964, Harris is a member of the Democratic Party and the 49th and first African-American and the first Asian-American Vice President of United States.
-She has graduated from the Howard university, University of California and Hastings College of the Law.
-Harris in 2010 was elected attorney general of California and served as the junior US senator from 2017 to 2021 from the state.
-Though Harris had sought the Democratic presidential nominations and had withdrawn earlier, she was selected by Biden as his running mate.
Born on January 19, 1965, in Palo Alto, California, Pritzker is the 43rd Governor of Illinois and belongs to the wealthy Pritzker family who owns the Hyatt hotel chain.
He graduated from the Duke University with a Bachelor of Arts in political science.
An active member of the Democratic Party, he became the nominee in 2018 for Governor of Illinois.
He assumed office on January 14, 2019, after defeating Republican Party's Bruce Rauner.
Born on August 23, 1971, in Lansing, Michigan, Whitmer is a member of the Democratic Party and has served from 2001 to 2006 in the Michigan House of Representatives, and in the from 2006 to 2015 in the Michigan Senate.
She graduated from Forest Hills Central High School, Michigan State University, and the Detroit College of Law.
Whitmer was elected as the 49th Governor of Michigan in 2018, after defeating Republican Party's Bill Scheutte.
Born on October 10, 1967, Newsom is a member of the Democratic Party and is currently the 40th Governor of California.
He completed his graduation in 1989 from the Santa Clara University and served from 2004 to 2011 as the 42nd Mayor of San Francisco.
Newsom served as the 49th Lieutenant Governor of California from 2011 to 2019.
Shapiro was born on June 20, 1973, in Kansas City, Missouri, and served as the 43rd Governor of Pennsylvania until 2023.
He studied at the University of Rochester and Georgetown University and served as a member of the Montgomery County of Commissioners from 2012 to 2017.
Born on June 13, 1957, in Nashville, North California, Cooper is the 75th Governor of North California and a member of the Democratic Party.
He completed his graduation in 1979 from the University of North California at Chapel Hill and served as the 49th Attorney General of North California from 2001 to 2017.
Beshear was born on November 27, 1977, in Louisville and graduated from the Henry Clay High School in Lexington, Kentucky.
He was elected as the 50th Attorney General of the Kentucky from 2016 to 2019 and since 2029, is the 63rd Governor of Kentucky.