Biden drops out of presidential race, endorses Kamala Harris
President Joe Biden will end his re-election campaign and back Vice President Kamala Harris, he announced Sunday, finally dropping out of the race amid Democrats’ deepening conviction that the 81-year-old could not win a second term and would sink the party’s fortunes in November.
“It has been the greatest honor of my life to serve as your President,” Biden said in a statement posted to X on Sunday. “And while it has been my intention to seek reelection, I believe it is in the best interest of my party and the country for me to stand down and to focus solely on fulfilling my duties as President for the remainder of my term.”
Democrats have been calling for Biden to step aside since a politically disastrous debate performance against Republican Donald Trump on June 27 that raised immediate questions about the president’s cognitive ability and fitness to serve another four-year term.
The outlook for the Democratic ticket in November remains murky as the party prepares for its convention in Chicago, which will run from Aug. 19-Aug. 22, though Biden’s endorsement of Harris helps pave the way for the vice president as the Democratic nominee.
Harris said she was honored to receive his endorsement and said she intends to win the Democratic nomination at the convention.
“Over the past year, I have traveled across the country, talking with Americans about the clear choice in this momentous election,” she said in a statement. “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.”
Biden’s exit from the presidential race is historic, marking the first time a sitting president eligible for re-election has left a race since Democratic President Lyndon B. Johnson bowed out of the 1968 campaign due to the unpopularity of U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War.
In his statement, he said he will speak to the country later this week to provide more detail about his decision.
— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) July 21, 2024
The president’s announcement was met with support from top Democrats, including former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary Hillary Clinton, who threw their support behind Harris.
“Joe Biden has been one of America’s most consequential presidents, as well as a dear friend and partner to me.,” former President Barack Obama said in a post on his blog. “Today, we’ve also been reminded – again – that he’s a patriot of the highest order.” Obama highlighted Biden’s accomplishments, but he did not mention Harris in his statement.
The Congressional Black Caucus PAC, chaired by Nevada’s Rep. Steven Horsford, issued a statement thanking Biden and throwing its support behind Harris.
“She has been instrumental in delivering the accomplishments of the last 3.5 years and has led on lowering maternal mortality rates, protecting reproductive freedoms, and ensuring economic opportunities for all,” the statement said. “She will do an excellent job as President of the United States.”
Biden traveled to Las Vegas recently to reach out to Black and Latino constituencies, which traditionally have supported him. He spoke at the NAACP annual convention July 16 but canceled his scheduled July 17 speech at the UnidosUS convention after testing positive for COVID-19.
Nevada Democrats had backed the president amid calls for him to end his campaign and yield to another nominee, with congressional members who face tougher re-election bids distancing themselves.
A path forward
Democratic National Committee Chair Jaime Harrison said the party will undertake a process to move forward as a united party with a candidate who can defeat Trump.
“This process will be governed by established rules and procedures of the Party,” Harrison said in a Sunday statement. “Our delegates are prepared to take seriously their responsibility in swiftly delivering a candidate to the American people.”
Harrison said the Democratic Party will provide next steps and the path forward for the nominating process.
“Democrats are prepared and united in our resolve to win in November,” he said. “As we move forward to formally select our Party’s nominee, our values as Democrats remain the same – lowering costs, restoring freedom, protecting the rights of all people, and saving our democracy from the threat of dictatorship. We have and will continue to make this case to the American people.”
Reactions from Nevadans
Following the announcement, Nevada Democrats highlighted Biden’s accomplishments, thanked the president for his service and echoed his endorsement for Harris.
Nevada State Democratic Party Chairwoman Daniele Monroe-Moreno said in a statement Biden has been a “transformational president” and said he is right in that Harris has been a “phenomenal choice” to serve as vice president.
“Her commitment to expanding health care coverage for thousands of Nevadans, lowering costs, and keeping our communities safe has helped grow Nevada’s economy, create good-paying union jobs, and protect our fundamental rights,” Monroe-Moreno said in a statement.
Rep. Dina Titus said Biden put the “interests of this nation above himself,” and said that is what makes the essence of a great president. Titus previously told the Review-Journal that she stood by the president and that “you play the hand you’re dealt and that’s what we’re going to do.”
Sen. Jacky Rosen, who faces a tight battle for re-election in November against Republican Sam Brown, reiterated Biden’s accomplishments, including expanding health care for veterans and fighting the climate crisis.
“There is still a lot more work to do on behalf of Nevadans to lower costs, create more opportunity, and defend our fundamental freedoms,” she said in a statement.
In a statement, Rep. Susie Lee thanked Biden and endorsed Harris.
“President Biden, during his storied and effective career, has put our country first. Today, he demonstrated immense patriotism and selfless leadership,” Lee wrote.
“I cannot thank President Biden enough for saving America’s democracy in 2020 and paving the way for a new era of leadership,” Lee wrote. “I look forward to supporting Vice President Kamala Harris at the top of the ticket so we can once again defeat Donald Trump and far-right extremism.”
Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto said on X that she respects his personal and courageous decision, and she looks forward to working with him as he finishes his second term.
Nevada Attorney General Aaron Ford said he was both “profoundly saddened and proud” of Biden, calling him a “patriot who puts country over self.”
“I’m so very grateful for his service,” Ford said on X. “May God bless him. And may God bless our country.”
Horsford thanked Biden for his leadership.
“From creating millions of jobs to tackling gun safety, President Biden has been an outstanding and important lifelong public servant,” he said on X.
Nevada Assemblyman Steve Yeager said Biden restored “the soul of our nation,” he said in a post on X.
Biden’s legacy
National and state Democrats expressed gratitude for the president following his announcement Sunday.
They highlighted his record, and many echoed his endorsement for Harris, an effort to show unity ahead of the Democratic convention.
“His decision, of course, was not easy, but he once again put his country, his party and our future first,” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y said. “Joe, today shows you are a true patriot and great American.”
Supporters touted his administration’s accomplishments, from pushing forward the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law — which spends $550 billion over five years on roads, bridges, mass transit and water infrastructure — to the confirmation of Ketanji Brown Jackson, the first Black woman to serve as a Supreme Court justice, to capping the cost of insulin to $35 for seniors.
“Joe Biden has been one of America’s most consequential presidents, as well as a dear friend and partner to me,” former President Barack Obama said in a post on his blog. “Today, we’ve also been reminded — again — that he’s a patriot of the highest order.” Obama highlighted Biden’s accomplishments, but he notably did not mention Harris or her potential as a president in his statement.
Former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary Hillary Clinton stood behind Harris, saying they will help her in any way they can.
Nevada State Democratic Party Chairwoman Daniele Monroe-Moreno said in a statement Biden has been a “transformational president” and said Harris’ commitment “to expanding health care coverage for thousands of Nevadans, lowering costs, and keeping our communities safe has helped grow Nevada’s economy, create good-paying union jobs, and protect our fundamental rights.”
The Congressional Black Caucus PAC, chaired by Nevada’s Rep. Steven Horsford, issued a statement thanking Biden and throwing its support behind Harris.
“She has been instrumental in delivering the accomplishments of the last 3.5 years and has led on lowering maternal mortality rates, protecting reproductive freedoms, and ensuring economic opportunities for all,” the statement said. “She will do an excellent job as President of the United States.”
While Biden has received some credit for guiding the country through the COVID-19 pandemic, he was blamed for inflation following his administration’s efforts to restart the economy. And while the rate of inflation has eased in recent months, consumers have complained that prices remain elevated. A majority of Americans disapprove of the way he’s handling his job, and Biden faced persistently low approval ratings on key issues including the economy and immigration.
Republicans pounced on those sentiments in statements following Biden’s announcement.
“We will suffer greatly because of his presidency, but we will remedy the damage he has done very quickly,” former President Donald Trump posted on his social media site Sunday. “MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!”
“For four years, the American people have faced historic inflation at home, chaos at the border, and weak leadership on the world stage,” U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell said in a statement. “Our nation is less prosperous and less secure than it was in January, 2021. We cannot afford four more years of failure.”
House Speaker Mike Johnson called on Biden to resign from office following his decision to drop out of the 2024 presidential race. “If Joe Biden is not fit to run for President, he is not fit to serve as President,” he said on X.
“Joe Biden has been the worst President in my lifetime and Kamala Harris has been right there with him every step of the way,” said Republican Vice Presidential Candidate J.D. Vance. “Over the last four years she co-signed Biden’s open border and green scam policies that drove up the cost of housing and groceries. She owns all of these failures, and she lied for nearly four years about Biden’s mental capacity—saddling the nation with a president who can’t do the job.”
Nevada Republican Party Chairman Michael McDonald wished Biden well and said he hopes Biden’s health improves. He said most people expected Biden to end his re-election bid, but it was a matter of timing.
“Now I think the Democrats are in a quandary because they have to figure out who to take the reins on that end,” McDonald said.
Nevada Republican Gov. Joe Lombardo declined to comment.
Contact Jessica Hill at jehill@reviewjournal.com. Follow at @jess_hillyeah on X.
Staff writers Taylor R. Avery and Ricardo Torres-Cortez contributed to this report.