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A number of Democratic lawmakers are calling on President Joe Biden to end his re-election campaign after his botched debate against Republican challenger Donald Trump.
At least 30 lawmakers in the House of Representatives, three US senators and a number of leading donors - including actor George Clooney - have publicly joined the growing Democratic chorus.
The party's fallout has stretched on for weeks, with prominent lawmakers like Adam Schiff - a California congressman running to be the state's next senator - asking Mr Biden to "pass the torch" of leadership.
Adding further pressure, a series of opinion polls since the debate suggest Trump may be edging ahead in key states.
President Biden has continued to insist that he is staying in the race, using a handful of campaign appearances and an hour-long news conference at Nato to try to make his case.
As the pressure builds, attention has turned to who could replace him if he changes his mind about running - or he is somehow forced from the race.
Various scenarios could play out over the coming days and weeks, but there are two ways Mr Biden's campaign could end: he could pull out willingly, or be forced to step aside by his own party.
Mr Biden has won the support of nearly all of the Democratic delegates who will vote on whether to make him the nominee. If he drops out of the race, they would be released to vote for another candidate. Whoever is able to win a majority of delegates at the convention would be the new nominee.
The second option would be much messier, with time running short and logistical circumstances complicating the process.
Democrats plan to hold a roll-call vote to formally elect Mr Biden as the party's nominee before Ohio's 7 August filing deadline - 12 days before the convention is slated to begin. For those hoping to derail the president's nomination, that could be their last opportunity to do so.
But Leah Daughtry, the party's chair of the convention rules committee, said at a meeting on Friday that "any challenger would have to have the verified support of hundreds of delegates" at the virtual vote to upend the process. That would be very difficult to pull together.
Mr Biden won 3,896 delegates in the Democratic primary. A candidate only needs 1,968 to lock up the nomination on the first ballot, which means there would have to be a number of defections.
"Such a challenge has never happened over the past half century of competitive primaries," Ms Daughtry noted.
Party rules say that delegates are not technically required to vote for Mr Biden, but they do stipulate that they "shall in all good conscience reflect the sentiments of those who elected them".
If President Biden did suspend his campaign through either path, who would be the leading contenders?
www.bbc.com
At least 30 lawmakers in the House of Representatives, three US senators and a number of leading donors - including actor George Clooney - have publicly joined the growing Democratic chorus.
The party's fallout has stretched on for weeks, with prominent lawmakers like Adam Schiff - a California congressman running to be the state's next senator - asking Mr Biden to "pass the torch" of leadership.
Adding further pressure, a series of opinion polls since the debate suggest Trump may be edging ahead in key states.
President Biden has continued to insist that he is staying in the race, using a handful of campaign appearances and an hour-long news conference at Nato to try to make his case.
As the pressure builds, attention has turned to who could replace him if he changes his mind about running - or he is somehow forced from the race.
Various scenarios could play out over the coming days and weeks, but there are two ways Mr Biden's campaign could end: he could pull out willingly, or be forced to step aside by his own party.
Mr Biden has won the support of nearly all of the Democratic delegates who will vote on whether to make him the nominee. If he drops out of the race, they would be released to vote for another candidate. Whoever is able to win a majority of delegates at the convention would be the new nominee.
The second option would be much messier, with time running short and logistical circumstances complicating the process.
Democrats plan to hold a roll-call vote to formally elect Mr Biden as the party's nominee before Ohio's 7 August filing deadline - 12 days before the convention is slated to begin. For those hoping to derail the president's nomination, that could be their last opportunity to do so.
But Leah Daughtry, the party's chair of the convention rules committee, said at a meeting on Friday that "any challenger would have to have the verified support of hundreds of delegates" at the virtual vote to upend the process. That would be very difficult to pull together.
Mr Biden won 3,896 delegates in the Democratic primary. A candidate only needs 1,968 to lock up the nomination on the first ballot, which means there would have to be a number of defections.
"Such a challenge has never happened over the past half century of competitive primaries," Ms Daughtry noted.
Party rules say that delegates are not technically required to vote for Mr Biden, but they do stipulate that they "shall in all good conscience reflect the sentiments of those who elected them".
If President Biden did suspend his campaign through either path, who would be the leading contenders?
Who can replace Joe Biden as Democratic presidential nominee?
Several rising stars in the party could enter the 2024 fray if Joe Biden steps aside.
www.bbc.com
