Viral Swing: AP EXPLAINS: What happens if a candidate for president dies?

Monday, 5 October 2020

AP EXPLAINS: What happens if a candidate for president dies?

It's a month before Election Day and President Donald Trump is in the hospital, infected with a virus that has killed more than 209,000 Americans. If the president is unable to serve, through illness or death, the 25th Amendment makes clear the powers of the presidency transfer to Vice President Mike Pence until the president regains the ability to perform his duties. It's never happened in a country with a long transition between Election Day at the start of November and the start of a president's new term on Jan. 20.