Since the June 27, 2024 debate, Biden’s support has plummeted rapidly. His post-debate appearances were riddled with missteps, solidifying concerns about his age and capacity, leading voters to lose confidence. Top Democratic officials pressured Biden to step down, and on Sunday, he yielded, endorsing Kamala Harris as the Democratic nominee. Establishment Democrats applauded Biden’s decision, framing it as patriotic and for the greater good, though many stopped short of endorsing Harris. This narrative, however, ignores the long-standing accountability movements urging Biden to step down for his leading role in the genocide in Gaza. Nationwide protests, both in the streets and in the voting booths, mounted public pressure for Biden’s resignation well before his disastrous debate with Trump.

Silence about Gaza isn’t new behavior for the Dems. It’s this very silence from Democratic leaders that has pushed voters to a tipping point. So why isn’t this part of the mainstream narrative? The Democratic Party may think it can move forward by ignoring the historic impact of the accountability movements across the country, which demanded Biden and his administration call for a permanent ceasefire or step down; however, there is no future where Biden’s cruelty and disastrous policies, which have directly contributed to the genocide in Gaza, will be forgotten by the voters needed for a Democratic victory.

Amid this turmoil, it remains uncertain whether Democrats will support candidates from the March presidential preference elections. The primary voting process is not binding but merely an early state-sponsored straw poll, often misunderstood by many voters. The Democratic Party faces the challenge of explaining the convention rules regarding delegates and superdelegates, as the nominee’s selection depends on internal party mechanisms rather than the will of the people. This reality exposes how little control voters ever had. Delegates are essentially free agents and the primary election was at best ceremonial.

The urgent question now is who will become the new Democratic nominee. With just one month until the DNC convention, where roughly 4,700 delegates must choose the nominee, the Democratic Party is in chaos. Kamala Harris is gaining momentum with endorsements from Biden, the Clintons, and other party leaders. She is also the only candidate who has access to the 96 million dollars in the former Biden-Harris campaign’s war chest. However, Harris’ nomination is not guaranteed. 

Assuming Black voters will support Harris without critically examining her career as a prosecutor is presumptuous and underscores the Democratic Party’s shallow race analysis, which focuses more on representation than genuine engagement. No matter where constituents align in the coming months of this election, whether against or for Harris, there is never room for anti-Blackness, misogynoir, or weaponizing criminal conviction. There are many issues upon which to critique the candidates, but these critiques must never lapse into the language of the state. 

Even though the topic of Gaza largely led to this moment, it remains absent from discussions about the future. This is a crucial time for political organizations, unions, elected officials, and especially voters who claim to be in solidarity with the people of Palestine to be discerning. Endorsing any candidate without their commitment to the demands of accountability movements, will only result in more of the same. We must not continue to accept generic calls for a ceasefire and ‘peace’. This is the time to step into our collective power and hold candidates accountable.