One massive money problem Democrats could have if they replaced Biden

As Democrats grapple with President Joe Biden ’s poor performance on the debate stage Thursday night, some are wondering if and how he could be replaced , but campaign finance laws might stand in the way of that.

The campaign to reelect Biden has fundraised no small amount of money — it has $195 million on hand as of the last time campaign funds were reported . Despite the poor performance, Biden’s campaign is reporting it raised $14 million through online fundraising the night of the debate and the following morning.

Still, if Biden does in fact drop out of the race, the money can only be transferred to one woman: Vice President Kamala Harris. Campaign finance laws do not allow for just anyone nominated by a party to receive funds that were not directly donated to them.

Because Harris is on the ticket, however, she would be the only one who could replace Biden while keeping the pot of cash. This is because the funds were already at Harris’s disposal as she is currently on the ticket.

“She would maintain access to all the funds in the committee and could use them to advance her presidential candidacy,” Shanna Ports, senior legal counsel at the Campaign Legal Center, told the Wall Street Journal .

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Pro-Biden super PACs could keep their money, but campaign finance law prohibits those PACs from directly coordinating with campaigns.

Harris doesn’t immediately receive the nomination just because she is vice president and there is a list of people Democrats are eyeing for a 2028 run who could replace Biden.