CNBC reports:

Vice President Kamala Harris has gained more public support from Democratic lawmakers as a potential replacement for President Joe Biden, should he decide to drop out of the race against former President Donald Trump.

California Rep. Mark Takano on Saturday became the thirty-sixth Democrat on Capitol Hill to call on Biden to exit the race on the record. He added that he believes Harris should be the one to helm the ticket.

“President Biden’s greatest accomplishment remains saving democracy in 2020. He can and must do so again in 2024 — by passing the torch to Vice President Harris as the Democratic Party Presidential nominee,” Takano said in a statement.

“It has become clear to me that the demands of a modern campaign are now best met by the Vice President, who can seamlessly transition into the role of our party’s standard bearer,” he said.

Earlier in July, Takano was one of several Democratic committee ranking members who voiced his concerns about Biden’s reelection bid in a private meeting with House Democratic leadership.

Though some Democrats have been angling for an open convention if Biden exits, Takano has positioned himself within the sect of the party that sees Harris as the rightful heir to the top of the ticket, along with the campaign’s war chest of at least $91 million.

Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., said Saturday that Harris “is ready to step up and unite the party,” should the president decide to exit the race. Warren has not officially called for Biden to exit the race. [Continue reading…]