President Joe Biden’s campaign has gotten the worst news thus far of the cycle, and it has left Democrats in a panic.
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ABC News reports that Biden may not be on the ballot in a key state due to a scheduling conflict.
In a letter addressed to Ohio’s Democratic Chair, Liz Walters, on Friday, the Ohio Secretary of State’s office pointed out that the Democratic National Committee’s nomination convention occurs one week after the deadline for certifying presidential nominees.
“In the letter, obtained by ABC News, legal counsel for Secretary of State Frank LaRose sought clarification for ‘an apparent conflict in Ohio law’ between the Democratic National Committee’s nominating process and the deadline by which the party’s presidential nominee must be certified to the Secretary of State’s office,” the outlet reported.
“The Democratic National Convention is scheduled to convene on Aug. 19, which will take place more than a week after the Aug. 7 deadline to certify a presidential candidate in Ohio, the office flagged according to state code, which would create a problem for Biden’s eligibility,” ABC News added.
“I am left to conclude that the Democratic National Committee must either move up its nominating convention or the Ohio General Assembly must act by May 9, 2024 (90 days prior to a new law’s effective date) to create an exception to this statutory requirement,” Paul Disantis, legal counsel for LaRose’s office, wrote in the letter.
Disantis asked the state and national Democratic Parties to come up with a quick resolution as to how they planned to comply with Ohio law.
“We’re monitoring the situation in Ohio and we’re confident that Joe Biden will be on the ballot in all 50 states,” a Biden campaign spokesperson confirmed to ABC News.
It could be a waste of time for Biden: Ohio has trended increasingly Republican in recent election cycles, with Donald Trump winning by 8 points in both 2016 and 2020. However, the state has a recent track record of being a battleground and holds 18 electoral votes.