Summary
Harris Endorsement and Democratic Succession
Approximately 30 minutes after
Biden announcing his withdrawal, he posted another message on X endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris as his preferred successor for the
2024 presidential race:"My very first decision as the party nominee in 2020 was to pick Kamala Harris as my Vice President. And it's been the best decision I've made. Today I want to offer my full support and endorsement for Kamala to be the nominee of our party this year."Harris, 59, responded with a statement praising Biden's "selfless and patriotic act" and declaring: "I am honored to have the President's endorsement and my intention is to earn and win this nomination. 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."Several Democratic officials quickly endorsed Harris, including Representatives James Clyburn, Jamie Raskin, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and Senators Elizabeth Warren, Chris Coons, and Chris Murphy. California Governor Gavin Newsom, who had been mentioned as a potential alternative candidate, endorsed Harris within hours of Biden's announcement.Former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton also issued a joint statement backing Harris. However, former President Barack Obama did not immediately endorse Harris, instead stating: "We will be navigating uncharted waters in the days ahead. But I have extraordinary confidence that the leaders of our party will be able to create a process from which an outstanding nominee emerges."According to NBC News, Democratic fundraising platform ActBlue reported raising $27.5 million in the five hours following Biden's announcement, though not all of these funds necessarily went to Harris.
Trump Campaign Response
The Trump campaign quickly responded to Biden's withdrawal. Trump posted on his Truth Social platform, writing that "Crooked Joe Biden was not fit to run for President, and is certainly not fit to serve – And never was!" In a brief phone interview with CNN, Trump called Biden "the worst president in the history of the United States."Republicans, including
Trump's newly selected running mate Senator JD Vance and House Speaker Mike Johnson, questioned whether Biden should complete his term if he wasn't fit to run for reelection. Johnson stated: "If Joe Biden is not fit to run for president, he is not fit to serve as President. He must resign the office immediately."The Trump campaign rapidly shifted its focus to Harris, with Trump's son Donald Trump Jr. describing her as "more liberal and less competent than Joe." Trump-aligned super PACs also announced plans to release advertisements targeting Harris in key swing states.This unprecedented mid-campaign opponent switch required the Trump campaign to rapidly recalibrate its messaging and strategy with less than four months until Election Day.*There may be errors on this page.