President Joe Biden announced the suspension of his campaign this Sunday.
Biden will continue as president until the end of his term, and endorsed Kamala Harris as the new Democratic front-runner.
All of this comes after a difficult debate performance for Biden, causing questions to resurface about his age and mental fitness to both campaign and carry out his presidential duties.
In a statement released on X (formerly known as Twitter), the President voiced his reasoning for dropping out of the race.
“It has been the greatest honor of my life to serve as your President,” Biden wrote in his statement. “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.”
In the past weeks, a multitude of high-ranking lawmakers called for the suspension of his campaign and for a new nominee.
Hakeem Jeffries, House of Representatives minority leader, called upon Biden to step down after many in his caucus agreed that it was time for the President to pass the torch.
Majority leader Chuck Schmuer also met with the President at his Rehoboth Beach residence, urging him to step down. This comes after further leaks from top congressional Democrats also asking the President to exit the race.
“President Joe Biden is one of the most accomplished and consequential leaders in American history,” Jeffries wrote in a statement on X.
Local lawmakers also responded to this announcement from the President.
Congresswoman Lisa Blunt Rochester who is currently running for the Senate expressed her gratitude and admiration for the President as a friend and an elected leader in a press release.
“Before Joe announced his candidacy for president in 2019, we met one on one,” Blunt Rochester wrote in her statement. “We talked about his unwavering commitment to restoring the soul of our nation, his resolve to make sure that every American gets a fair shake, and his promise to put people over politics.”
State Senator Sarah McBride who is running for U.S. House also reacted to the President stepping out of the race.
“I’ve been lucky to see President Biden champion working families and equity over my whole life — as my Senator, Vice President, and over the last three and a half years as President,” McBride wrote in a statement to The Review. “In that time, he’s proven that we can do big things together that make a real difference in the lives of Americans.”
With Harris endorsed, the Democratic National Convention and those delegates will have to vote not only for Harris but also for a running mate.
The Democratic National Convention will be held in late August in Chicago where the democratic ticket will be finalized.