Major leaders in the Democratic Party of Hawaii on Sunday hailed President Joe Biden’s decision to exit the 2024 election, and two members of the state’s congressional delegation are already throwing their support behind Vice President Kamala Harris.

“Working alongside the president, Vice President Harris has played a critical role in the progress we’ve made, and has shown herself ready to lead our party moving forward,” Sen. Mazie Hirono said in a press release, adding, “I’m proud to call Vice President Harris a friend and colleague, and I look forward to doing everything in my power to get her elected to the White House, so we can continue building on the progress of the last four years.”

Rep. Jill Tokuda has also voiced support for Harris, who Biden endorsed on Sunday. But Harris’ nomination is not a done deal, and the president’s announcement has thrown the nation into uncertain times that are evolving by the hour.

Sen. Brian Schatz and Rep. Ed Case made no mention of the vice president in their public comments following Biden’s announcement.

“The path ahead is difficult and I will take some limited time to discuss with my constituents and colleagues the best way forward on a Democratic nominee,” said Case, who on Thursday became the first prominent Hawaii Democrat to call for Biden to step aside. “Today is about President Biden and his legacy of service to country first.”

While Sunday’s announcement was not a complete surprise, as recently as Friday it was reported that Gov. Josh Green would co-host a fundraiser for Biden led by TV personality David Letterman in Martha’s Vineyard.

“President Biden and his family have made this decision, which I said all along was his and theirs to make. I have no doubt that it was a difficult decision and in this, I thank him again for his selfless leadership,” Green said in a statement Sunday.

Green also thanked Biden for his aid following the deadly Maui wildfires last August.

The governor and Hawaii’s four congressional delegates are part of the local party’s nine superdelegates to the Democratic National Convention, along with 22 other delegates. It will be held in Chicago Aug. 19-22.

All in for @KamalaHarris! She spoke at our @APIAVote Presidential Town Hall & she sounded exactly like that…a President! For our #AANHPI community, she is one of us & she will empower us! The time for unity is now & the threat of Trump & #Project2025 is real! https://t.co/7bmwvHHMNP

— Jill N. Tokuda (@jilltokuda) July 21, 2024

Biden leaving the race frees up the nearly 4,000 national delegates won by Biden during the primaries and caucuses to vote for a new candidate. How that will work is unclear. If a majority of the party does not rally behind Harris, there is the possibility of an open convention or even a mini-primary of sorts.

In addition to Harris, other possible nominees include Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, California Gov. Gavin Newsom, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker, Maryland Gov. Wes Moore, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear and U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg.

If Harris leads the ticket, those other officials as well as North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper and Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly could also be selected as her running mate, according to news reports.

What Comes Next

A candidate needs 1,976 delegates to secure the nomination out of the 3,937 available pledged delegates. In addition to the governor and the congressional delegation, Hawaii’s superdelegates also include the chair and vice chair of the Democratic Party of Hawaii and a national committeeman and committee woman.

Locally, there were already doubts about Biden’s electoral viability. In March he won 66% of the votes in the Democratic Party of Hawaii’s party-run presidential primary, but 29% voted for “uncommitted.”

Bart Dame, the local party’s national committeeman and one of its nine superdelegates, said there are two likely scenarios for what comes next in terms of the nomination.

The first is what Dame calls “the orchestrated path,” the one preferred by power players in the party nationally. They want to go ahead with a virtual roll call that had already been planned to nominate Biden ahead of the convention but will now likely nominate Harris.

While a date has not yet been set, the virtual roll call has to be done before Aug. 7 to meet a deadline to qualify for the ballot in Ohio, a delegate-rich state that has lately voted with the GOP presidential nominees.

The roll call would preclude the possibility of an open convention or deliberative assembly where other candidates would be considered.

“That would just be votes whipped over the telephone and by twisting arms and lined up without having people have much of a chance for discussion or deliberation,” Dame said.

Let the false attacks on Harris begin!

— Karl Rhoads (@KarlRhoads1) July 21, 2024

The other path would be to hold a mini-primary that would allow Democrats, the public and the media to hear from the candidates and to ask them questions.

“And that would allow for there to be a fair, open, transparent and competitive primary race, but in short duration,” he explained. “It would include maybe televised town hall meetings with multiple candidates, responding to questions by journalists and allowing the public and delegates to take an interest in the different candidates and decide for themselves who they want to support.”

A limited number of candidates would then be put on the ballot at the convention, including candidates for vice president. While superdelegates are normally not allowed to vote in the first round of voting, which is only for pledged delegates, Dame said his understanding of the DNC rules is that — now that Biden has withdrawn — they are no longer legally pledged to the president.

That means all delegates, including super delegates, would be eligible to vote on the first ballot. Dame said he expected Hawaii delegates pledged to Biden would likely follow his direction and support Harris, but he cautioned that the process is complicated, politically charged and in flux.

An Emboldened Trump

Biden’s historic decision follows an unprecedented series of events over the past month that have already upended the 2024 race. Trump, the former Republican president, united his party at the Republican National Convention, which ended Thursday in Milwaukee. His running mate is Sen. J.D. Vance of Ohio.

Just over a week ago, Trump survived an assassination attempt at a rally in Pennsylvania that has only emboldened his core supporters. A judge in Florida tossed the classified documents case against him and the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that presidents have broad immunity for official acts while in office, which served to strengthen his hand.

Biden’s out, Kamala is in. Don’t be fooled: policies won’t change. Just like Biden wasn’t the one calling the shots, Kamala Harris won’t be either. She is the new figurehead for the deep state and the maidservant of Hillary Clinton, queen of the cabal of warmongers. They will… pic.twitter.com/pdwLQwJzR8

— Tulsi Gabbard 🌺 (@TulsiGabbard) July 21, 2024

Even though Trump, who is 78, is a twice-impeached president who lost to Biden in 2020 — and who is a convicted felon awaiting sentencing — he seems more popular and powerful than ever.

Biden, by contrast, received mixed views in interviews and a press conference following the debate debacle and currently is at home in Delaware recovering from his second bout of Covid. Nationally, dozens of Democrats in Congress had already called for him to leave the race, fundraising plans were placed on hold and he continued to trail Trump in most polls.

For now, however, the focus is on praising Biden and his service.

“For over 50 years, Joe Biden has been a selfless patriot and dedicated public servant who’s given everything to the country he so dearly loves,” Schatz said in a press release. “As a senator, vice president and now president, he has spent most of his life working to make people’s lives better and the world safer. Today, yet again, he has put the country before himself, making the best choice for the American people in this uniquely consequential moment. For that, and for his lifetime of service, we should all be deeply grateful.”

This is a genuine act of patriotism. People almost never give up power voluntarily. This is historic, unusual, unselfish, and cements the President’s legacy as someone who loves this country more than he loves power.

— Brian Schatz (@brianschatz) July 21, 2024

The Hawaii Republican Party, not surprisingly, has a different view.

“Under President Biden’s leadership, our nation has faced significant challenges and hardships, making it clear that a change in leadership is necessary for the betterment of all Americans,” the party said in a press release. “The Hawaii Republican Party believes that the country is in need of change, strength and a renewed sense of purpose. The Democratic Party has failed the people with their divisive tactics and ineffective policies, and it is time for a new direction for our nation.”

The statement added, “As we look toward the future, the Hawaii Republican Party stands united in its support for President Donald Trump to be reelected as our leader. We urge all voters to support Republican candidates down the ballot, as we believe they are the best choice to lead our state and our country to prosperity.”

The Democratic Party of Hawaii supports Biden’s endorsement of Harris as the next Democratic nominee, party chair Derek Turbin said in an emailed statement.

“President Biden’s decision to step down further displays his commitment and selflessness as a public servant to the country that he loves,” Turbin wrote. “We respect this decision and thank him for his decades of service to the people of America.”

Biden is expected to address the nation later this week.