RALEIGH — President Joe Biden is bowing out of his reelection campaign, saying in a letter Sunday posted to the social media platform X that he will not seek the Democrat Party’s nomination.
He is the first president to bow out of reelection since President Lyndon Johnson in 1968.
Just days earlier, the Biden campaign had indicated he would not be dropping out. On Friday’s episode of MSNBC’s “Morning Joe,” Biden campaign chair Jen O’Malley Dillon said, “He’s not going anywhere.”
In a separate post on X, Biden endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris to succeed him as the party nominee for president.
Harris released a statement on X praising Biden’s public service and saying she would pursue the nomination.
“”I am honored to have the President’s endorsement and my intention is to earn and win this nomination,” her statement said. “Over the past year, I have traveled across the country, talking with Americans about the clear choice in this momentous election. And that is what I will continue to do in the days and weeks ahead. I will do everything in my power to unite the Democratic Party-and unite our nation-to defeat Donald Trump and his extreme Project 2025 agenda.
“We have 107 days until Election Day. Together, we will fight. And together, we will win.”
Speculation on who Harris would pick as her vice presidential running mate has included North Carolina Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper, who has been seen with Harris stumping for Biden over the past week in North Carolina. Cooper, however, supported Biden at a Raleigh campaign rally following the president’s disastrous June debate performance.
A little over an hour after Biden’s letter hit social media, Cooper issued the following statement:
“President Biden has cemented his place among our nation’s finest Presidents. When our democracy faced danger, President Biden stood strong as the rarest type of leader who could help us forge ahead with a vision to repair our country’s soul. He was able to pass transformative legislation that will benefit our economy, our families, and our country for generations to come. Just as impactful as the laws he passed, though, is his ability to listen to everyday people, relate to their struggles, and give them hope. I’m deeply grateful to call President Joe Biden my friend, and I thank him from the bottom of my heart for his service to our great nation.”
Other names mentioned as a potential running mate with Harris include Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro and Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.
Following his initial statement, Cooper later issued another statement on X backing Harris.
“Kamala Harris should be the next President. I’ve known @VP going back to our days as AGs, and she has what it takes to defeat Donald Trump and lead our country thoughtfully and with integrity,” Cooper wrote. “I look forward to campaigning for her as we work to win NC up and down the ticket.”
It is unlikely Cooper would step down as governor if selected as Harris’ VP pick. Should he step down, Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson would take over the job, per the North Carolina Constitution. Robinson is running to become the state’s first black governor.
The North Carolina Constitution also stipulates that when the governor is out of the state, the lieutenant governor becomes acting governor. If Cooper is picked, it would mean leaving the state regularly to campaign with Harris and would put Robinson in charge.
Former President Donald Trump, the Republican nominee who has been campaigning for a rematch with Biden, posted on X about Biden’s departure from the race.
“Crooked Joe Biden was not fit to run for President, and is certainly not fit to serve – And never was!” Trump wrote. “He only attained the position of President by lies, Fake News, and not leaving his Basement. All those around him, including his Doctor and the Media, knew that he wasn’t capable of being President, and he wasn’t – And now, look what he’s done to our Country, with millions of people coming across our Border, totally unchecked and unvetted, many from prisons, mental institutions, and record numbers of terrorists. We will suffer greatly because of his presidency, but we will remedy the damage he has done very quickly. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!”
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) also issued a lengthy statement on X, which in part called on Biden to resign.
“If Joe Biden is not fit to run for President, he is not fit to serve as President. He must resign the office immediately,” Johnson said.
“At this unprecedented juncture in American history, we must be clear about what just happened,” Johnson wrote. “The Democrat Party forced the Democrat nominee off the ballot, just over 100 days before the election.
“Having invalidated the votes of more than 14 million Americans who selected Joe Biden to be the Democrat nominee for president, the self-proclaimed ‘party of democracy’ has proven exactly the opposite,” wrote Johnson. “Having invalidated the votes of more than 14 million Americans who selected Joe Biden to be the Democrat nominee for president, the self-proclaimed ‘party of democracy’ has proven exactly the opposite.”
Congressman Richard Hudson (R-NC-09) was critical of the move, questioning if Biden was incapacitated.
“This is a scandal of historic proportions – President Biden is incapacitated, Democrats knew, and they lied to the American people to cover it up,” Hudson said in a post on X. “If Biden is mentally unfit to campaign, he is mentally unfit to have the nuclear codes. Will Democrats now say he should resign?”
Biden, 81, is currently in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, recovering from COVID-19. The president’s physician posted a status report on Biden’s health the same day the president issued his intentions not to seek reelection.
Former President Barack Obama, under who Biden served as vice president, also issued a statement thanking Biden for his service but Obama did not endorse Harris. Instead part of his statement seemed to call for an open convention when the Democratic Party converges on Chicago in August.
“We will be navigating uncharted waters in the days ahead. But I have extraordinary confidence that the leaders of our party will be able to create a process from which an outstanding nominee emerges,” wrote Obama. “I believe that Joe Biden’s vision of a generous, prosperous, and united America that provides opportunity for everyone will be on full display at the Democratic Convention in August. And I expect that every single one of us are prepared to carry that message of hope and progress forward into November and beyond.”
This is a developing story and this article may be updated.
