SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — In an interview with ABC 10News discussing the massive shift in the political landscape for the Democratic Party, Rep. Juan Vargas said he expected more of an open primary process heading into the convention.
Vargas was the last San Diego-area member of Congress to endorse Kamala Harris as the party's new presumptive presidential nominee, replacing Joe Biden in the wake of the fallout following his disastrous debate performance against former President Donald Trump.
Vargas explained that he believed the party has a number of excellent candidates to choose from, so he believed an open primary would be conducted during the upcoming Democratic National Convention in Chicago.
Specifically, he praised Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro and U.S. Senator for Arizona Mark Kelly. Still, he reiterated that he supports Harris "wholeheartedly" and says it's good for the party to move forward as a unified front.
WATCH: Rep. Vargas shares perspective on why he endorsed Harris later, reasoning for open primary
ABC 10News also asked Vargas if he thinks Harris is the best candidate to take on Trump and ultimately retain the White House for the Democrats. When answering the question, he spoke about the uncertainty surrounding this unprecedented situation.
WATCH: Vargas on if rushing forward with Harris was the right move
To wrap up the interview, Vargas spoke about his personal relationship with President Biden.
"I'll just be honest with you, this has been incredibly painful for me," Vargas said. "The president has been a good friend of mine... I've known him for a long time. He's a very good person, a very noble person, and to see him backstabbed by so many people, you know, this circular firing squad — is horrible."
WATCH: Vargas' reaction to Biden dropping out
You can watch the full interview with Rep. Vargas in the video player at the top of this page.
