- Biden halts re-election, endorses Harris
- Harris’ campaign raises $46.7 million quickly
- Obama, Pelosi, others withhold endorsements
Democrats are scrambling to devise a strategy to retain the presidency in November after Joe Biden said on Sunday that he would halt his re-election candidacy.
In the hours following Biden’s revelation, a swarm of Democrats endorsed Kamala Harris, the vice president and former presidential candidate, propelling her to the top of the list of probable nominees, while donations increased.
Biden endorsed Harris, stating that selecting her as his vice president was “the best decision I’ve made.” His campaign funding account was renamed “Harris for President,” resulting in a $96 million cash war chest for the vice president to make her case to American voters.
The fundraising platform announced on Sunday that small-dollar donors raised more than $46.7 million on ActBlue in the first five hours of Harris’ presidential campaign.
Harris confirmed that she would run.
“I am honored to have the President’s endorsement, and my intention is to earn and win this nomination,” she stated on Sunday. Over the last year, I’ve traveled around the country, speaking with Americans about the obvious option in this historic election. And that is what I will continue to do in the next days and weeks.”
Harris is set to make her first public appearance on Monday morning at the White House, where she will speak at a ceremony honouring National Collegiate Athletic Association championship teams. She is filling in for Biden, who contracted Covid last week and is still recovering.
The endorsements poured in throughout Sunday, with several noticeable absences that could suggest a desire for an open Democratic convention and a primary-style race for the nomination before the event in Chicago in mid-August.
Barack Obama did not endorse Harris, nor did former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, two Democratic heavyweights who reportedly played critical roles in driving Biden out of the contest.
“We will be navigating uncharted waters in the coming days,” Obama said. “But I am sure that our party’s leaders will be able to develop a process to produce a great nominee.
By Sunday’s end, Harris still appeared to be the front-runner for the nomination. However, the multiple steps between now and obtaining enough delegates leave an uncountable number of chances for her candidacy to fail, especially in such a volatile election year.
She received endorsements from the leaders of numerous influential caucuses and political organizations, including the chairs of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, and the entire Congressional Black Caucus.
If elected, Harris will be the first woman and someone of South Asian origin to be president.
Several individuals mentioned as potential running mates for Harris, including Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper, and Arizona Senator Mark Kelly, have published remarks supporting her.
The endorsement rounds came after weeks of left-wing protests and social media memes advocating Harris’ candidacy. Her followers, known as the “KHive,” tweeted coconut emojis about a speech in which she joked about something her mother used to say: “You think you just fell out of a coconut tree?” You exist within the framework of your surroundings and what has come before you. They resurfaced an ad from Harris’ 2020 presidential campaign criticizing Trump’s statements about women and shady enterprises and evidence of a check Trump wrote to Harris’ past California campaigns.
No coordinated opposition has formed against Harris or in support of any other contender, indicating that Harris will most likely receive the presidential nomination. According to some rumours, Michigan governor Gretchen Whitmer would not challenge Harris. California Governor Gavin Newsom announced on Sunday that he would endorse Harris. Both had been mentioned as potential prospects.
But on Sunday, at least one prospective contender emerged. Joe Manchin, the West Virginia senator who switched from Democrat to Independent earlier this year, is considering returning to the Democratic Party to run for president.
Many interested parties will be unfamiliar with the rules and methods for gaining a Democratic nomination. With Democrats entering unknown territory, Democratic National Committee chair Jaime Harrison stated that the party would soon reveal the next stages in the nominating process.
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Biden is the first president in 56 years to withdraw from his re-election campaign. Lyndon Johnson stood down from campaigning in 1968, sparking a floor fight for delegates at the Democratic convention held in Chicago.
While Democrats praised Biden for making a difficult but statesmanlike decision, Republicans began hitting Harris, claiming the left was engaging in an anti-democratic activity that could lead to lawsuits.
Republicans attempted to blame Biden’s vulnerabilities on Harris and called for Biden to quit the White House, claiming that if he was not competent enough to campaign, he should not be president.
“Kamala Harris is just as much of a joke as Biden is,” the Trump campaign stated. “Harris will be WORSE for the people of our country than Joe Biden. Harris has served as Crooked Joe’s Enabler in Chief during his tenure. They possess each other’s records, and there is no space between them. Harris must defend both the failed Biden administration and her liberal, weak on crime record in California.”
