Joe Biden Withdraws from Presidential Race, Endorses Kamala Harris as Democratic Nominee

In a surprising turn of events, Joe Biden withdrew from the US presidential election on Sunday and endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris as the Democratic Party’s new nominee. This decision has dramatically altered the already extraordinary 2024 race for the White House.

Biden, 81, stated that he was stepping down in the “best interest of my party and the country,” following weeks of pressure after a challenging June debate with Donald Trump raised concerns about his age and mental fitness. This unexpected move has thrown the Democratic Party into fresh turmoil ahead of the November 5 election. However, it may also reinvigorate the party, as Harris quickly affirmed her goal to become America’s first woman president and to “defeat Donald Trump.”

Trump responded with numerous posts on his Truth Social network, arguing that if Biden is unfit to run for president, he is also unfit to serve. This dramatic shift complicates matters for Republicans, who had focused their campaign solely on Biden and now face the prospect of the 78-year-old Trump, the oldest presidential nominee in US history, competing against a much younger opponent.

The decision transforms what had been an unpopular and drawn-out Trump-Biden rematch into one of the most intriguing presidential campaigns in modern American history. While Biden’s withdrawal had been anticipated, the announcement came without warning as he recovered from Covid at his Delaware beach house.

In a letter posted on X, Biden expressed that being president had been the “greatest honor of my life” and announced that he would address the nation later this week. The White House later confirmed that he had no public events scheduled for Monday.

“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 focus solely on fulfilling my duties as President for the remainder of my term,” Biden wrote. Shortly after, he offered his “full support and endorsement” for Harris, with his campaign officially changing its name to “Harris for President.”

Endorsements for Harris poured in almost immediately from prominent Democrats and potential rivals for the nomination, such as California Governor Gavin Newsom. The Democratic fundraising group ActBlue reported that Harris received $27.5 million in small-donor contributions within just five hours.