Despite rushing to coronate Kamala Harris, House Dems maintain that the primary is "open."

The House Democrats are suggesting that anyone is free to join their 2024 presidential primary, but challenging Vice President Kamala Harris is a futile effort.

According to Rep. Dan Kildee, D-Mich., the convention delegates have the freedom to vote for any candidate they desire once they are released. This means that anyone who is interested can and should put themselves forward as a candidate. Vice President Harris has already offered herself, while former Democratic, now independent, Senator Manchin has speculated about running but later took it back. As a result, the field is currently open.

Kildee stated that another Democrat entering the race before the nominating convention would not harm the party's momentum, as she believed the new candidate would likely be a first-ballot nominee due to her qualifications.

Steny Hoyer, the former House Majority Leader, was more direct in his evaluation of the situation.

""I thought Kamala Harris was running for president if Biden couldn't serve. I was mistaken, it was Biden-Harris," he said to a reporter who asked about his concerns about the lack of a primary."

On Sunday, Harris announced she would run for president after Biden announced he was dropping out of the race. Biden, along with several Democratic leaders such as former President Clinton and former House Speaker Pelosi, D-Calif, have endorsed her.

When asked about supporting an open process, Pelosi replied, "Anyone can participate; they have the option to do so."

As of Monday, more than 150 House Democrats have endorsed her, according to multiple counts.

Democrats have been accused by Republicans of orchestrating a coup to replace an 81-year-old candidate who was lagging behind former President Trump in polls.

Several House Democrats who spoke with Planet Chronicle Digital said anyone was free to join the race, but denied a challenger would derail Harris' and Democrats' momentum.

"Rep. Jared Moskowitz, D-Fla., stated that Democrats are uniting behind Vice President Harris, whom he has endorsed. However, in order to hold a primary, a challenger is needed. Currently, there are potential candidates emerging and endorsing her, making the process open."

He stated that he was not discouraging anyone but high-level individuals, such as governors and senators, from running for president. They were endorsing Vice President Harris because they believed she was the best candidate for the job. As a result, it was difficult to process potential challengers when there were no candidates yet.

Reps. Bobby Scott and Bennie Thompson, the top Democrats on the Education and Homeland Security Committees, both stated that the primary was open but predicted that Harris would most likely be the nominee following the DNC in August.

Scott remarked, "The caucus is open, but no one is running. I don't see much point, considering there are already 150 Democratic caucus members endorsed, delegations, and they are all Biden-Harris delegates. So, where will they go?"

Thompson's predicted victory will solidify her position as a strong Democrat, regardless of whether she faces an opponent.

Rep. Glenn Ivey, D-Md., stated that he is unsure who would compete with her in an open primary, given the large number of Democrats who endorsed her in just 24 hours after she assumed Biden's mantle.

While Harris has garnered support from various House Democratic groups, such as the Congressional Black Caucus and Progressive Caucus, some critics of the Biden administration, including Reps. Jared Golden and Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, have remained silent.

Biden declared he was withdrawing from the presidential race due to mounting pressure from Democrats concerned about his mental and physical fitness to campaign, as well as the debates being a distraction from the left's campaign against Trump.