In an announcement that sent shockwaves through the political landscape, President Joe Biden officially announced that he will not seek re-election in the 2024 Presidential Race. In his letter, sent to media, he endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris as the nominee for the Democratic Party. The Clintons and a trove of other highly visible individuals linked with the Democratic Party have endorsed her as well.
President Biden joins a short list of first-term presidents who decided not to seek re-election. Mr. Biden is the first sitting president to drop out of a race for presidential re-election since Lyndon B. Johnson stepped down in 1968. Both critics and supporters of President Biden have weighed in on his decision. Currently the President is sequestered at his Delaware Beach house as he recovers from covid.
Mr. Biden is the first sitting president to drop out of a race for presidential re-election since Lyndon B. Johnson stepped down in 1968
After hearing of the announcement, former President and Republican nominee Donald Trump told CNN that President Biden is the “worst president in the history of our country”. Mr. Trump also expressed that he felt it would be easier to beat Harris than it would’ve been to beat Biden (Collins, 2024). Supporters of President Biden praised his decision to make the best choice for the country and not his personal ambitions (Barker, 2024).
What happens next with the election?
Vice President Kamala Harris has to secure votes and the official Democratic nomination with only 106 days before Election Day. President Biden’s nomination could be helpful, but the official nomination ultimately lies with the delegates who will attend the Democratic National Convention on August 19-22 in Chicago. To read the entire delegation process visit https://democrats.org/2024-delegate-selection-process/
At the time of publication, no other candidates have expressed a desire to challenge Vice President Harris.
By Joe Biden – https://x.com/JoeBiden/status/1815080881981190320, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=150602370
Collins, K. (2024, July 21). Exclusive: Trump responds to Biden dropping out. CNN. https://www.cnn.com/politics/live-news/biden-trump-election-07-21-24/index.html
Montellaro, Z. & Shepard, S. (2024, July 21). What happens next now that Biden has dropped out. Politico. https://www.politico.com/news/2024/07/21/what-next-biden-00170001
