Joe Biden endorses Kamala Harris after he drops out of 2024 election: Recap
Editor's note: This page reflects the news of Joe Biden stepping aside from his 2024 presidential campaign on Sunday, July 21. For the latest news on Kamala Harris' efforts to secure the Democratic nomination, follow our live election updates for Monday, July 22.
WASHINGTON − President Joe Biden said Sunday he is ending his bid for reelection amid intense pressure from Democratic leaders sounding the alarm that his path to beat former President Donald Trump in November had vanished.
The president's historic withdrawal throws the 2024 race − already roiled by a shocking attempt on Trump's life − into uncertain territory, with Vice President Kamala Harris widely seen as the Democrat most likely to take Biden's place atop the party's ticket.
Biden made the announcement from his home in Rehoboth Beach, Del., where he's self-isolated since testing positive for COVID-19 Thursday night.
Biden quickly endorsed Harris as the Democratic nominee in a separate statement on X. Harris responded that she's honored to have Biden's endorsement, and her "intention is to earn and win this nomination." The president and vice president spoke several times on Sunday morning ahead of his announcement.
Biden said he would speak to the nation later this week to provide more details about his decision.
"It has been the greatest honor of my life to serve as your President," Biden said in a letter addressed to Americans. "And while it has been my intention to seek reelection, I believe it is in the best interest of my party and my country for me to stand down and to focus solely on my duties as President for the rest of my term."
In his statement, Biden reflected fondly on his four years in office, saying the U.S. has built the “strongest economy in the world” while touting efforts to lower prescription drug prices, expand health care, tackle climate change and appointing the first Black woman to the Supreme Court, Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson.
The decision upends the 2024 campaign 107 days before Election Day, with Democratic National Committee members now tasked with choosing an alternative nominee to take on Trump, whose polling lead has swelled while Democrats have fought internally.
Biden's departure will soon mean the end of a five-decade career in Washington that began in 1972 with an upset victory for U.S. Senate in Delaware. He served as a senator for 36 years, then as Obama's vice president from 2009 to 2017. Biden returned to public life to run against Trump in the 2020 presidential election. He framed the race as a "battle for the soul of the nation" and defeated Trump 51%-47% in the popular vote.
It marks an extraordinary turn for Biden, who for three weeks remained defiant in the face of growing calls from Democratic lawmakers that he withdraw after a disastrous June 27 debate with Trump raised scrutiny over the president's mental fitness.
Keep up with the USA TODAY Network's live updates.
Louisiana Democratic delegation endorses Harris
While President Biden's delegates at the upcoming Democratic National Convention are not formally obligated to follow his lead and back Vice President Kamala Harris as his replacement at the top of the ticket, the Louisiana delegation is already onboard.
"This evening, the LA delegation to the @DemConvention met virtually, and by an overwhelming majority vote, officially endorsed Vice President @KamalaHarris to be our 2024 Democratic Presidential Nominee," the state party reported on X.
-Ben Adler
Congressional Hispanic Caucus BOLD PAC endorses Harris
In a sign of coalescing Democratic Party unity around Harris, the campaign arm of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, BOLD PAC, announced Sunday night that it is endorsing President Biden's chosen successor.
Just a few days ago, BOLD PAC stood squarely behind Biden amid growing calls for him to drop out.
"President Biden's tenure will be remembered for his accomplishments that stand among the best in history,” said BOLD PAC Chair Rep. Linda Sánchez, D-Calif., in the statement Sunday.
"As we look ahead, we know that these accomplishments would not have been possible without Vice President Kamala Harris and CHC BOLD PAC is proud to endorse her for president. This administration has led with working families in mind and shown an unwavering commitment to Latinos. There is so much work left to do and the stakes couldn’t be higher. Make no mistake, Latinos nationwide will bear the brunt of the consequences of a Trump second presidency, just like they did in the past. BOLD PAC will remain laser focused on doing what it takes to ensure that Trump remains a one-term president. Vice President Harris is the leader we stand behind at this critical moment.
-Ben Adler
How Harris would run against Trump
A campaign ad from Harris' 2020 Democratic presidential primary campaign sheds light on how she might run against Trump if she becomes the Democratic nominee.
The ad, which was shared Sunday afternoon by a pro-Harris account on X, characterizes Harris as the antidote to Trump. It leans heavily on her work as a prosecutor and contrasts that record with Trump's alleged misdeeds.
"She prosecuted sex predators, he is one," the narrator notes, followed by the recording of Trump's crudely phrased statement that he grabs women by their genitals.
The ad goes on to draw similar comparisons. Whereas Harris prosecuted for-profit colleges that swindled students, Trump ran a for-profit university that was sued by former students who said they were misled by false claims. Trump agreed to a $25 million settlement
-Ben Adler
Democrats raise nearly $50 million online since Biden’s exit
Democrats have raised nearly $50 million online since President Joe Biden announced his decision on Sunday to drop out of the 2024 race and endorse Vice President Kamala Harris as the Democratic nominee.
ActBlue, the leading site processing Democratic donations, said as of 9 p.m. ET it has raised $46.7 million from supporters, making Sunday its biggest fundraising day of the 2024 election cycle.
Most of the Democratic Party has coalesced quickly around Harris as the nominee, making her the strong favorite to take on Trump in November.
−Joey Garrison
Joe Manchin is considering seeking Democratic nomination
Sen Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., is considering switching his party affiliation from independent to Democratic to seek the party's presidential nomination after President Joe Biden announced Sunday that he will exit the 2024 race, according to Manchin's adviser Jonathan Kott.
He is the first Democrat to openly consider challenging Vice President Kamala Harris for the nomination. Manchin, 76, previously flirted with the idea of launching an independent campaign for the presidency, and at one point even floated appearing on a ballot with Utah Sen. Mitt Romney, but decided not to in mid-February.
Manchin is unlikely to receive much support from Democrats, given his record of bucking some of the party’s major legislative proposals and his decision to register as an independent in May.
-Karissa Waddick
Harris makes the rounds
Vice President Kamala Harris spent her afternoon working the phones, calling Democratic Party leaders and members of Congress as she sought to quickly coalesce lawmakers and potential competitors around her candidacy. Among the Democratic officials she spoke to were Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, a rising star in the party who leads a must-win battleground state, House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries and Congressional Black Caucus Chair Steven Horsford, according to a source familiar.
Harris has plans to be in Milwaukee on Tuesday and Indianapolis on Wednesday at previously scheduled events. It was not immediately clear when she planned to hold her first campaign event after Biden's surprise dropout and endorsement on Sunday.
-Francesca Chambers
AOC endorses Harris for Democratic nomination
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., a key progressive Democrat, endorsed Harris for the Democratic nomination Sunday night as Harris continues to coalesces most of the Democratic Party around her bid.
“Kamala Harris will be the next President of the United States. I pledge my full support to ensure her victory in November,” Ocasio-Cortez said in a statement on X.
“Now more than ever, it is crucial that our party and country swiftly unite to defeat Donald Trump and the threat to American democracy. Let’s get to work.”
While 35 congressional Democrats publicly called for Biden to end his campaign prior to his announcement, Ocasio-Cortez was among those who remained behind the president.
−Joey Garrison
Trump raises questions about the next debate
Is Trump laying the groundwork to forgo a debate against Harris (or any other Democrat)?
In a Truth Social post late Sunday, Trump noted that his Sept. 10 debate with Biden "was slated to be broadcast" on ABC.
"Now that Joe has, not surprisingly, has quit the race, I think the Debate, with whomever the Radical Left Democrats choose, should be held on FoxNews, rather than very biased ABC."
In an interview with CBS News, Trump gave a somewhat equivocal answer to the debate question: "I don’t know who I'm going to debate. So far, we haven’t determined who is going to be on that side. But I think whoever it is, I’d like to debate. Yeah, sure."
-David Jackson
Tennessee Democrats become first delegation to formally endorse Harris for president
Tennessee’s 77 Democratic delegates voted by conference call Sunday afternoon to formally endorse Vice President Kamala Harris for the Democratic nomination, becoming the first delegates previously pledged to Biden in any state to formally back her.
The decision comes as much of the Democratic establishment, including former President Joe Biden, has quickly coalesced behind Harris following Biden’s announcement to end his 2024 campaign.
“It’s very compelling to me that the president decided not to run and to endorse her,” Chip Forrester, one of the Tennessee delegates, told USA TODAY. “He has worked with her for four years. He chose her as his running mate four years ago. For the president to have that kind of confidence is important to me.”
Forrester said Harris also holds as strong “strategic position” because she will inherit Biden’s $240 million cash on hand that his campaign reported at the end of June.
The Harris campaign took over the Biden campaign committee following Biden’s announcement to drop out.
-- Joey Garrison and Melissa Brown
Potential lawsuits to keep Biden as Democratic nominee would be fruitless: election experts
Republicans argued Democrats will be ignoring 14 million voters who supported President Joe Biden in the primaries after he declined to become the nominee, but election experts said Sunday that potential lawsuits aiming to keep Biden as the nominee would be fruitless.
“Democrat party bosses just proved that they have absolutely no respect for their own voters,”House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., said in a statement. “After lecturing others about democracy, they just forced Joe Biden off the ticket, trashing the primary choice of 14 million of their own voters.”
But David Becker, a former Justice Department lawyer who enforced election laws and is now executive director of the Center for Election Innovation and Research, said potential lawsuits from Republicans or allies of former President Donald Trump couldn’t force the Democratic Party to stick with Biden because parties choose their own nominees.
“These claims are less than frivolous,” Becker said. “That would not succeed and will not succeed in any state.”
Biden was not yet the Democratic nominee because the party has not yet held its convention scheduled for late August. The Supreme Court ruled unanimously in March that Colorado election officials couldn’t keep Trump off the state’s primary ballot because allowing states to set qualifications for federal office would lead to “chaos.”
--Bart Jansen
More:Who will be Kamala Harris' VP? Here's the possible contenders.
John Kerry supports Kamala Harris as party’s next nominee
John Kerry, former Secretary of State under the Obama administration, in a statement on X, formerly Twitter, indicated he will join in on supporting Vice President Kamala Harris as the party’s next nominee.
“President Biden deserves the gratitude of every American for his extraordinary presidency…I know how difficult today’s selfless decision must have been for someone who spent his entire life in service to country,” he said.
He added that “now is the time to listen to the only person who has ever beaten Donald Trump, and join with President Biden in every effort to make Vice President Harris the next President of the United States.”
-- Sudiksha Kochi
Election expert says no way to hold more Democratic presidential primaries
David Becker, a former Justice Department lawyer who enforced elections law and who now advises state and local officials who conduct elections, slammed the door Sunday on the potential for holding more presidential primaries before the Democratic National Convention in late August, calling it a “fantasy.”
President Joe Biden was the presumptive Democratic nominee after winning state primaries. Some political analysts, such as GOP podcaster Mike Murphy, have suggested Vice President Kamala Harris would be a stronger nominee if she beat potential rivals in a new set of primaries.
“She needs to become a winner, which means winning a nomination process,” Murphy wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter. “That would give her a lot more strength coming out of the convention.”
But Becker, executive director of the Center for Election Innovation and Research, said states such as Arizona and Florida are still holding local primaries into September, so there is no way election officials could create a new set of primaries within days or weeks.
“The idea that election officials who are already running elections could somehow put together a snap primary in days, and voters would know what to do and where to show up and to cast ballots for candidates we can’t even imagine who might be running is fantasy. There is no feasible way to hold any kind of primaries right now,” said Becker, who is also executive director of the Election Official Legal Defense Network. “There is no way to do open primaries.”
--Bart Jansen
LaPhonza Butler, only Black woman serving in U.S. Senate, backs Harris
California’s Laphonza Butler, the only Black woman serving in the U.S. Senate, applauded Biden’s service and urged support for Harris. Butler was tapped to serve in the seat when Biden picked Harris for his running mate.
“The threat to all that progress remains, and we must now do everything we can to ensure Vice President Harris succeeds,’’ Butler, the first woman of color to head EMILY's List, an organization that supports Democratic, pro-abortion rights women candidates, said in a statement. “There's no one better prepared for this challenge.’’
Harris, the daughter of an Indian mother and Jamaican father, was the second Black woman to serve in the U.S. Senate. Others vying to make similar history praised Harris’ bid for president.
Angela Alsobrooks, a Democrat and a Black woman running for the U.S. Senate in Maryland, said she is 100% behind Harris.
“She will provide a clear and stark contrast to the regressive vision Donald Trump has for this country,’’ she said in a statement. “She will make this race about the future and the kind of country our children deserve to inherit.”
-- Deborah Barfield Berry
Harris takes over Biden campaign committee
The former Biden campaign is now officially the Harris for President campaign.
The campaign formerly known as Biden for President in a filing Sunday afternoon with the Federal Election Commission changed its name to the Harris for President campaign.
The move makes Harris’ bid for the Democratic nomination official, with her campaign apparently assuming control of Biden’s campaign funds. The move also allows Harris to begin raising money for her presidential bid. Harris named Keana Spencer her treasurer.
-- Joey Garrison
Emily’s List endorses Kamala Harris for president
Emily’s List, an organization that supports Democratic, pro-abortion rights women candidates, endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris in a post on X, formerly Twitter.
“.@kamalaharris was made for this moment,” they wrote. “Throughout her career, she has been a steadfast fighter for women and reproductive freedom — a role that is more important than ever before. We’re proud to endorse her for president.”
-- Sudiksha Kochi
Rep. Cori Bush endorses Kamala Harris for president
Bush is currently in a tight primary race and said this month that her constituents had concerns about President Joe Biden’s viability as a candidate. She praised him for “prioritizing our nation’s needs” and threw her support behind Harris.
“When we say trust Black women, we mean it. Black women are the backbone of the Democratic Party and it is past time for us to lead at this moment,” Bush said.
— Rachel Barber
'There are many questions now'
Shannon O'Brien, a presidential history professor at the University of Texas, called Biden's announcement "huge:" "We've never had a candidate drop out willingly so late before."
The professor also explained how the Democratic convention could potentially function next month.
"There are many questions now. The pledged delegates for each state are bound by state rules to vote for their candidate X number of times under state law," O'Brien explained. "If Biden has enough to win, then he can decline, which will throw it immediately into a brokered convention. I don't know what it means with Harris on the ticket and much of this would come down to state law on whether or not she wins those pledged delegates."
− Darren Samuelsohn
National Ice Cream Day: A fitting day for Biden
It’s no secret: Joe Biden loves ice cream. There are so many photos of the president enjoying the classic summer dessert.
The president's connection to the delightful treat continued Sunday. Biden happened to announce his decision to drop out of the 2024 presidential race on National Ice Cream Day, July 20.
Then again, according to Biden, everyday is National Ice Cream Day.
– Karissa Waddick
Democratic lawmaker calls on Trump to step down too
Rep. Dan Goldman, D-N.Y., in a statement said Biden “made the difficult but selfless decision to pass the torch to the next generation of leaders in the Democratic Party to ensure that our democracy remains strong and true.”
“The American people have made it clear that they want a new generation of leaders to run for President,” he said.
Goldman urged Trump to follow Biden’s footsteps.
“I urge Donald Trump to follow President Biden’s lead and put the country first by passing his party’s baton to a younger and healthier candidate who is not a convicted felon,” he said.
− Sudiksha Kochi
NC Gov. Cooper does not weigh in on VP chatter
North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper could be among those being considered to join the Democratic presidential ticket as Kamala Harris' vice president, if she is chosen to replace Joe Biden as the party's nominee. But Cooper didn't address those rumors in a brief statement posted to social media Sunday about Biden's departure from the race.
"I'm deeply grateful to call President Joe Biden my friend, and I thank him from the bottom of my heart for his service to our great nation," Cooper said in a post on X, which mainly focused on Biden's achievements as president.
– Karissa Waddick
California senator endorses Harris for president
Sen. Alex Padilla, D-Calif., from Kamala Harris’ home state, endorsed her for president Sunday.
Padilla replaced Harris in Congress when she was tapped to join Joe Biden on the 2020 Democratic ticket.
“From California to the White House, Vice President Harris has always led with courage and conviction,” Padilla wrote in a post on X, “I’m proud to endorse @KamalaHarris to unify our party and defeat Donald Trump.”
−Rachel Barber
Rep. Clyburn, credited for helping Biden win the 2020 primary, has endorsed Harris for president
South Carolina Rep. Jim Clyburn, a long serving House leader who helped Biden secure the nomination in 2020, said in a statement he endorses Vice President Kamala Harris' bid to become the nominee now that Biden has dropped out.
“One of President Biden’s first decisions as the nominee was to select a running mate that he believed possessed the values and vision necessary to continue this country’s pursuit toward a ‘more perfect union,’" Clyburn said. "I echo the good judgement he demonstrated in selecting Vice President Harris to lead this nation alongside him, and I am proud to follow his lead in support of her candidacy to succeed him as the Democratic Party’s 2024 nominee for president.”
−Sarah D. Wire
When is Biden's address to the nation after dropping out of 2024 race?
According to Joe Biden's Sunday announcement, Americans can expect to hear more from the president in the coming days.
"I will speak to the nation later this week in more to detail about my decision," the president wrote.
He did not give an exact date or time.
− Natalie Neysa Alund
When is the DNC? Here's what to know about 2024 convention after Biden drops out of race
On the heels of Joe Biden's decision to end his bid for reelection amid intense pressure from scores of his own party leaders, all eyes are now on Chicago where the Democratic National Convention is set to kick off next month.
The DNC is slated to take place August 19 through August 22.
− Natalie Neysa Alund
JD Vance slams Biden and Harris
Former President Donald Trump’s running mate J.D. Vance criticized Joe Biden and Kamala Harris’ tenure in office in statement Sunday.
The Ohio senator, 39, called Biden the “worst” president of his lifetime and said Harris “has been right there with him every step of the way.”
“President Trump and I are ready to save America, whoever's at the top of the Democrat ticket. Bring it on," Vance said in a post on X, formerly Twitter.
−Rachel Barber
Sen. Coons, one of Biden's closest allies, backs Harris for Democratic nomination
Sen. Chris Coons, D-Del., and national co-chair of Biden’s election campaign, told CNN Sunday that he supports Vice President Kamala Harris as the Democratic Party’s next nominee.
“I support Vice President Harris. I am very hopeful that we will come out of our convention next month united and that everyone who has expressed concerns and hopes and thoughts and fears in the last few months, we'll continue to support the ticket that will win this fall,” he said.
“And we'll see what happens in terms of the choice for a running mate. But I think our President Joe Biden has made his endorsement clear. And I think that is the most important endorsement that we could all be paying attention to today.”
He said earlier in the interview that Harris “has fought hard for freedoms and for rights of Americans and she is a genuine leader.”
− Sudiksha Kochi
Illinois Gov. Pritzker praises Biden, jabs Trump in statement
Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, another Democrat who could be vetted to join the Democratic presidential ticket now that Joe Biden has dropped out, praised the former president Sunday before focusing on Donald Trump.
In a post on X Pritzker commended Biden for working across the aisle to pass infrastructure legislation and shepherd the country past the COVID-19 pandemic. He then criticized Trump for his 34 felony convictions and stances on issues like abortion.
“As we extend our gratitude toward President Biden and reflect on his many accomplishments, we must not ignore the threat posed by Donald Trump’s potential return to the White House,” Pritzker said. “I will work everyday to ensure that he does not win in November.”
– Karissa Waddick
The 'ultimate statesman'
The Congressional Black Caucus PAC in a statement called Biden the “ultimate statesman” in a statement on X, formerly Twitter.
“He’s dedicated his entire career, amid great personal sacrifice, in service to the values of democracy; civility, freedom and opportunity… Americans and democracy loving people around the world owe Joe Biden a great debt of gratitude,” the statement says.
The group added that it joins Biden in “supporting Kamala Harris as our party’s nominee.”
− Sudiksha Kochi
Biden among most significant US presidents, Pete Buttigieg says
Transportation Secretary and former Democratic presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg on Sunday lauded Joe Biden as one of the "most consequential presidents in American history," after the president announced he would not seek another term.
Buttigieg has popped up as a potential vice presidential running mate for Kamala Harris, who is the frontrunner to replace Biden as the 2024 Democratic presidential nominee. But the former South Bend, Indiana mayor did not address those rumors in his brief social media statement that focused on Biden's presidency.
"I am so proud to serve under his leadership, and thankful for his unwavering focus on what is best for our country," Buttigieg said.
– Karissa Waddick
Kamala Harris thanks Biden for service, says she will seek nomination
Kamala Harris said in a statement that she is “deeply grateful” to Joe Biden and his family: “With this selfless and patriotic act, President Biden is doing what he has done throughout his life of service: putting the American people and our country above everything else.
She said she is honored to have his endorsement.
"My intention is to earn and win this nomination. Over the past year, I have traveled across the country, talking with Americans about the clear choice in this momentous election. And that is what I will continue to do in the days and weeks ahead. I will do everything in my power to unite the Democratic Party—and unite our nation—to defeat Donald Trump and his extreme Project 2025 agenda,” she said.
− Sarah D. Wire
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. says he commends Biden for stepping down
Independent candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said in a statement on X, formerly Twitter, that he commends President Joe Biden for stepping out of the 2024 race.
“His infirmities were evident to any unbiased observer from the beginning. It was this progressive deterioration — and his abandonment of Democratic Party principles — that prompted me to enter the race and ensure American voters had a viable, vigorous alternative to Donald Trump,” said Kennedy.
He also called on the Democratic Party to “return to its traditional commitment to democracy and exemplify it with an open process.”
“Instead of anointing a candidate hand-picked by DNC elites, the party should use neutral polling to identify the candidate who can best beat Donald Trump. The delegates should then select a nominee based on this information,” he said. “If they had done this to begin with, I would not have had to leave the Democratic Party.”
−Sudiksha Kochi
Young voter group endorses Harris for president
Voters of Tomorrow, a political advocacy group representing Gen Z, endorsed Kamala Harris for president in a statement Sunday.
The organization has chapters in 20 states and a volunteer presence across the country. It had previously endorsed Joe Biden.
“As vice president, Kamala Harris has been one of Gen Z’s fiercest champions,” the statement said. “Harris has presented a clear vision for our future — a vision that will undoubtedly fire up young people this election to defeat Donald Trump.”
− Rachel Barber
Obama: Biden is ‘a patriot of the highest order’
Former President Barack Obama praised Biden’s decision to end his campaign for a second term, saying he selflessly put the country’s interests ahead of his own.
Biden’s “outstanding track record” while in office gave him “every right to run for re-election and finish the job he started,” Obama said. But, “Joe understands better than anyone the stakes in this election — how everything he has fought for throughout his life, and everything that the Democratic Party stands for, will be at risk if we allow Donald Trump back in the White House and give Republicans control of Congress.”
Biden, who served as vice president during the eight years of Obama’s presidency, has never backed down from a fight, Obama said.
“For him to look at the political landscape and decide that he should pass the torch to a new nominee is surely one of the toughest in his life,” the former president said. “But I know he wouldn’t make this decision unless he believed it was right for America. It’s a testament to Joe Biden’s love of country — and a historic example of a genuine public servant once again putting the interests of the American people ahead of his own that future generations of leaders will do well to follow.”
Biden has been “one of America’s most consequential presidents,” Obama said, and “a patriot of the highest order.
Obama’s statement made no mention of Vice President Kamala Harris, who is considered the frontrunner to replace Biden on the ticket.
– Michael Collins
Biden adviser Klain bemoans ‘donors and electeds’ who pushed the president
Joe Biden’s former White House chief of staff Ron Klain called on Democrats to unite behind Kamala Harris as the Democratic nominee – and took at shot at Biden’s Democratic detractors in doing so.
“Now that the donors and electeds have pushed out the only candidate who has ever beaten Trump, it’s time to end the political fantasy games and unite behind the only veteran of a national campaign — our outstanding VP, Kamala Harris! Let’s get real and win in November!” Klain wrote in a post on X.
Klain, a longtime Biden aide and among the president closest advisors, had been serving as a campaign adviser for Biden.
−Joey Garrison
President of conservative think tank linked to Project 2025 calls for Biden to resign
Kevin Roberts, president of the right-wing think tank The Heritage Foundation that's linked to Project 2025, joined calls for Joe Biden to resign the presidency. Project 2025 is a 900-page, sweeping conservative plan for the next GOP administration.
“If President Biden is incapable of running a presidential race, how can he lead our nation for another six months?” Roberts said in a statement Sunday. “In the interest of national security and the safety of our citizens, President Biden must immediately resign.”
−Rachel Barber
Whitmer says her job 'remains the same' after Biden drops out
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said Sunday that her role in the 2024 election is unchanged in light of Joe Biden’s decision to leave the race, though she didn't explicitly say she wouldn't seek the Democratic nomination.
Whitmer’s name has risen to the top of the list of potential vice presidential nominees who could join a new Democratic ticket led by Kamala Harris.
However, the Michigan governor said in a social media post, that her “job in this election will remain the same: doing everything I can to elect Democrats and stop Donald Trump, a convicted felon whose agenda of raising families’ costs, banning abortion nationwide, and abusing the power of the White House to settle his own scores is completely wrong for Michigan.”
−Karissa Waddick
Sanders praises Biden’s tenure in office
Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., thanked Joe Biden for serving the country with “honor and dignity” after the president announced he would end his reelection campaign.
While the list of Democrats calling for Biden to exit the 2024 race grew, Sanders continued to back the president until he dropped out Sunday.
“As the first president to ever walk on a picket line with striking workers, he has been the most pro-working class president in modern American history,” Sanders wrote in a social media post. “Thank you, Mr. President, for all you’ve done.”
−Rachel Barber
Bill and Hillary Clinton endorse VP Harris for president
Bill and Hillary Clinton have endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris to become the Democratic nominee for president.
The former president and the former secretary of state, who was the Democratic nominee for president in 2016, pledged to do “whatever we can” to support Harris.“We’ve lived through many ups and downs, but nothing has made us more worried for our country than the threat posed by a second Trump term,” the Clintons said in a joint statement. “He has promised to be a dictator on day one, and the recent ruling by his servile Supreme Court will only embolden him to further shred the Constitution. Now is the time to support Kamala Harris and fight with everything we’ve got to elect her. America’s future depends on it.”
The Clintons also offered praise for Biden, saying he lifted the country out of an unprecedented pandemic, created millions of new jobs, rebuilt a battered economy, strengthened democracy and restored America’s standing in the world.
–Michael Collins
Who will replace Biden? Harris is the immediate frontrunner
Kamala Harris appears to be the leading candidate to replace Joe Biden as the Democratic Party’s nominee in the 2024 election, after the president dropped his reelection bid amid rising concerns about his age following his debate with former President Donald Trump.
Biden emphatically endorsed Harris to be the Democratic presidential nominee in a social media post Sunday shortly after announcing his decision to step out of the 2024 race.
If formally nominated, Harris, 59, would become the first Black woman at the top of a major party presidential ticket. She has served as Biden’s vice president for more than three years and before that represented California in the U.S. Senate.
− Karissa Waddick
Read Biden's full statement as he drops out of 2024 presidential race
Joe Biden announced that he's dropping out of the 2024 race in a reflective letter penned to his fellow Americans. You can read the full message here.
− James Powel
Mike Johnson calls on Biden to resign presidency
House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., called on Biden to resign as president following his decision not to seek a second term.
“If Joe Biden is not fit to run for president, he is not fit to serve as president,” Johnson said in a statement. “He must resign the office immediately. Nov. 5 cannot arrive soon enough.”
Johnson said Biden’s decision to leave the race under pressure from Democrats who feared he would lose to Trump “invalidated the votes of more than 14 million Americans who selected Joe Biden to be the Democrat nominee for president.”
“The party’s prospects are no better now with Vice President Kamala Harris, who co-owns the disastrous policy failures of the Biden administration,” he said. “As second in command and a completely inept border czar, Harris has been a gleeful accomplice — not only in the destruction of American sovereignty, security, and prosperity, but also in the largest political coverup in U.S. history. She has known for as long as anyone of his incapacity to serve.”
– Michael Collins
Pelosi calls Biden 'one of the most consequential Presidents in American history'
Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, in a statement on Biden’s decision to withdraw from the race, said Biden is a “patriotic American who has always put his nation first.”
“His legacy of vision, values and leadership make him one of the most consequential Presidents in American history,” Pelosi said.
The former House speaker added: “With love and gratitude to President Biden for always believing in the promise of America and giving people the opportunity to reach their fulfillment. God blessed America with Joe Biden’s greatness and goodness.”
In recent days, Pelosi had reportedly shared concerns privately to Biden about his grim prospects to defeat Trump and that his candidacy could doom Senate and House Democratic candidates.
− Joey Garrison
Potential VP nominee Beshear says Biden's decision in “best interest” of country
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear called Joe Biden’s decision to drop his 2024 reelection bid in the “best interest of the country and party,” in a statement Sunday.
“President Biden will be remembered as a consequential president. Along with Vice President Harris, he led us through the aftermath of the January 6th attack on our Capitol and steadily steered us out of a global pandemic,” Beshear wrote.
He is among a handful of Democratic governors believed to be on the short list to now join the Democratic presidential ticket.
“Now it’s time for our nation to come together,” Beshear added in the post. “We need to dial down the anger, rancor and noise."
−Karissa Waddick
Hakeem Jeffries: 'We are forever grateful'
House Democratic Leader Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., issued a statement that praised Biden's accomplishments as president but did not address whether Harris should be the nominee. "America is a better place today because President Joe Biden has led us with intellect, grace and dignity. We are forever grateful," he said.
− Kathryn Palmer
DNC chair says Democrats will launch process of choosing new candidate
Democratic National Committee chairman Jaime Harrison said in the coming days Democrats will “undertake a transparent and orderly process to move forward as a united Democratic Party with a candidate who can defeat Donald Trump in November.”
Harrison said the process will be “governed by established rules and procedures of the Party.”
“Our delegates are prepared to take seriously their responsibility in swiftly delivering a candidate to the American people,” Harrison said, adding that the American people will hear “in short order” from the Democratic Party on the next steps in the nomination process.
The DNC convention is set for Aug. 19 to 22 in Chicago, but Democratic National Committee leaders have planned for a virtual roll-call vote before Aug. 7 to satisfy concerns with ballot deadlines in several states.
− Joey Garrison
Josh Shapiro calls Biden a 'patriot'
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro hailed Joe Biden as a “patriot” and commended his work as president in a social media post on Sunday shortly after the president announced he was dropping out of the 2024 race.“President Biden has gotten an incredible amount done to move our country forward, defend our democracy, and protect real freedom,” Shapiro wrote on X, formerly Twitter.Shapiro has been floated as a potential Democratic presidential nominee to replace Biden, or as a vice presidential nominee if Kamala Harris takes over the top of the ticket. Shapiro did not mention Harris in his message Sunday.“I am proud to work by his side and am grateful for his leadership and his unwavering commitment to delivering for Pennsylvania — the Commonwealth that raised him,” Shapiro said about Biden in the post.
−Karissa Waddick
Schumer says Biden put 'his country, his party, and our future first'
Chuck Schumer shared in a post on X that "Joe Biden has not only been a great president and a great legislative leader but he's a truly amazing human being."
"His decision of course was not easy, but he once again put his country, his party, and our future first. Joe, today shows you are a true patriot and great American," he added.
−Marina Pitofsky
Biden exits race amid widespread pressure, mounting concerns about his age
Biden's exit came after he received bleak warnings from Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and Democratic House Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., that his candidacy could lead to massive losses for Democrats in the Senate and House. Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi shared similar concerns to Biden.
More than 30 congressional Democrats had called for Biden to bow out. Former President Barack Obama reportedly also relayed fears privately to Democratic allies about Biden's prospects of beating Trump. Democratic donors from Hollywood to Wall Street also came out against Biden continuing his reelection bid.
Biden, 81, has battled Americans’ concerns over his age since he took office but it turned into panic for Democrats after last month's first debate with Trump, the Republican nominee. Biden's voice sounded faint, he struggled to complete sentences and finish thoughts, and he failed to rebut many of Trump's claims on the debate stage.
Biden's campaign was in a free fall over the past few weeks with his future in doubt. Instead of focusing solely on Trump, Democrats spent as much time and energy debating whether Biden could even defeat his predecessor.
Fundraising for the Biden campaign took a dramatic hit. And Biden not only fell behind in key battleground states that will decide the election, but his growing unpopularity seemed to put recent Democratic strongholds like Virginia in play for Trump.
−Joey Garrison and Swapna Venugopal
Biden becomes first incumbent not to seek reelection since LBJ
Biden becomes the first incumbent president not to seek reelection since Lyndon B. Johnson who, in 1968 amid national unrest and turmoil within the Democratic Party over the Vietnam War, stunned the nation with his decision not to seek a second full term.
− Joey Garrison
Who could replace Biden?
With Biden's endorsement, Harris is the clear frontrunner to replace Biden as the Democratic nominee, but the party's bench of Democratic governors could also be in the mix including Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan, Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania and Gavin Newsom of California.
− Joey Garrison
Trump knocks Biden after exit
Donald Trump, in a post on his social media web site Truth Social after Biden’s exit, wrote: "Crooked Joe Biden was not fit to run for President, and is certainly not fit to serve - And never was!”
“We will suffer greatly because of his presidency, but we will remedy the damage he has done very quickly,” Trump added.
−Joey Garrison
Jill Biden reacts to Joe Biden dropping out of 2024 race
First lady Jill Biden on Sunday reposted the president's message with heart emojis. She also retweeted her husband's message endorsing Kamala Harris in the 2024 election.
− Marina Pitofsky