Leading Democrats are voicing their support for Vice President Kamala Harris on Sunday as their party seeks a nominee to replace President Biden in the 2024 race, now that he has taken himself out of the running.
Former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton were among the pool of politicians to endorse Harris, after Mr. Biden did the same on the heels of an announcement confirming his decision to withdraw.
“We join millions of Americans in thanking President Biden for all he has accomplished, standing up for America time and again, with his North Star always being what’s best for the country. We are honored to join the President in endorsing Vice President Harris and will do whatever we can to support her,” the Clintons said in a joint statement.
“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. He has promised to be a dictator on day one, and the recent ruling by his service Supreme Court will only embolden him to further shred the Constitution,” their statement continued. “Now is the time to support Kamala Harris and fight with everything we’ve got to elect her. America’s future depends on it.”
Sen. Elizabeth Warren, a Massachusetts Democrat who led a presidential campaign of her own in 2020, also issued a statement backing Harris as the party’s potential nominee this year.
“I endorse Kamala Harris for President,” Warren’s statement read. “She is a proven fighter who has been a national leader in safeguarding consumers and protecting access to abortion. As a former prosecutor, she can press a forceful case against allowing Donald Trump to regain the White House. We have many talented people in our party, but Vice President Harris is the person who was chosen by the voters to succeed Joe Biden if needed. She can unite our party, take on Donald Trump, and win in November.”
Mr. Biden’s decision to end his campaign followed weeks of turmoil within the Democratic Party over whether he would be able to serve another term, since his disastrous performance at the presidential debate in June opposite his Republican rival, former President Donald Trump, called into question his fitness to lead. He endorsed Harris shortly after issuing a statement on Sunday afternoon that confirmed, despite previous pushback from Mr. Biden’s campaign team against public calls for him to step aside, that he is no longer pursuing reelection.
“My very first decision as the party nominee in 2020 was to pick Kamala Harris as my Vice President,” Mr. Biden said a social media post. “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. Democrats — it’s time to come together and beat Trump. Let’s do this.”
Sen. Patty Murray, of Washington, and Sen. Amy Klobuchar, of Minnesota, have also endorsed Harris. Other powerful Democratic figures, like former President Barrack Obama and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, commended Mr. Biden in the wake of the withdrawal but did not endorse Harris outright. Obama released a lengthy statement responding to the announcement, in which he praised the president — his former vice president — as “a patriot of the highest order” and “one of America’s most consequential presidents.”
Mr. Biden cannot appoint a Democratic nominee to fill his spot in the presidential race. Whoever is ultimately chosen will be determined through a vote by the delegates to the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, which was set to happen virtually before next month. It isn’t clear whether those plans will change in light of Mr. Biden leaving the race, but the convention is scheduled to begin Aug. 19.