President Joe Biden Ends Re-election Campaign, Endorses Harris as Democratic Nominee

President Joe Biden announced on Sunday that he will end his bid for re-election, concluding a distinguished half-century-long political career and dramatically reshaping the race for the White House just four months before Election Day.

Biden, 81, faced mounting concerns within his party about his age and vitality, which led to widespread doubt about his ability to defeat former President Donald Trump in November. Acknowledging these sentiments, Biden has endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris as the Democratic nominee.

“While it has been my intention to seek re-election, 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 stated in a letter posted on social media platform X. “I will speak to the Nation later this week in more detail about my decision.”

Biden expressed his gratitude to Harris for her support and partnership, endorsing her candidacy in a follow-up post: “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.”

According to sources familiar with the campaign, Biden and Harris had multiple discussions on Sunday prior to the president’s announcement. Harris responded with a statement thanking Biden for his leadership and vowing to earn the Democratic nomination and unite the party against Trump’s “extreme Project 2025 agenda.”

The president’s decision marks an unprecedented turn in modern American politics. The last sitting president to abandon a re-election bid was Lyndon Johnson in 1968. However, Johnson’s announcement came eight months before the election, unlike Biden’s exit just a few months before voters head to the polls.

The withdrawal of Biden from the race is set to trigger significant internal dynamics within the Democratic Party as potential successors jockey for position. Key figures such as California Governor Gavin Newsom and Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer have already voiced their admiration for Biden’s service and hinted at their own ambitions.

Governor Newsom, a prominent Biden supporter, praised the president in a social media post: “He will go down in history as one of the most impactful and selfless presidents.” Similarly, Governor Whitmer acknowledged Biden as a “great public servant” and reaffirmed her commitment to ensuring a Democratic victory in November.

First Lady Jill Biden and the president’s granddaughter Naomi also expressed their pride and admiration for Biden’s legacy. Meanwhile, Republican leaders criticized the president’s decision, with House Speaker Mike Johnson calling for Biden’s immediate resignation and Trump’s campaign branding the move as a “complete disgrace.”

The Democratic National Committee has pledged to undertake a transparent process to select a new candidate. “In the coming days, the Party will move forward as a united Democratic Party with a candidate who can defeat Donald Trump in November,” stated DNC Chair Jaime Harrison.

As Biden’s historic political career, which spans the eras from Nixon’s fall to Trump’s rise, comes to a close, the Democratic Party faces a pivotal moment in determining its future leadership and direction ahead of the 2024 election.