During an appearance on MSNBC, Rep. Zoe Lofgren, D-Calif., suggested Friday that a "mini primary," facilitated by Barack Obama and Bill Clinton, should be held to decide the Democratic Party's next presidential nominee.
According to The Hill, the overarching theme of the interview was that President Joe Biden should drop out of the race. Biden, however, has said that he will not step down.
But Lofgren said, "Should [Biden] make that decision" to drop out of the race, "there will have to be quick steps."
"Maybe a vetting hosted by former presidents including Obama and Clinton would be helpful and help focus the attention," she added. "And whoever emerges, including [Vice President] Kamala Harris, would be a stronger candidate than if we tried to exclude a transparent public process."
The Democrats' pressure for Biden to step down has increased, sparking speculation about whether Harris would be the nominee if Biden chooses to pass the torch. But there are also questions about whether she can defeat former President Donald Trump in November.
Lofgren, a close ally of former Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said Harris shouldn't be the Democrats' nominee but acknowledged that the vice president would be next in the pecking order.
"I don't think we can do a coronation," Lofgren said. "But obviously, the vice president would be the leading candidate."