As of this afternoon President Joe Biden officially announced his withdrawal from the 2024 presidential race and formally endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris. His announcement letter is below followed by statements from Virginia Democratic representatives.
From a just-released statement by Vice President Kamala Harris
I am honored to have the President’s endorsement and my intention is to earn and win this nomination. 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.
Virginia Senator Mark R. Warner released the following statement regarding President Biden.
“This nation owes Joe Biden a debt of gratitude for putting everything on hold to run in 2020 and taking the reins as President during a particularly turbulent time. He charted a bright path forward for our nation after four tumultuous years under the former administration.
“President Biden has made historic contributions to our nation. His love of country and loyalty to the American people has been unwavering. He will undoubtedly go down in the history books as a true American patriot.
“After all he’s done, I respect President Biden’s difficult decision to step aside in this upcoming election, and I look forward to hearing more from him later this week.
“While there has to be an orderly process and the decision ultimately rests in the hands of the DNC delegates, I believe Vice President Harris has the experience, energy, and resolve to lead our nation.
“This November, we must defeat Donald Trump and his backwards agenda.”
Virginia Senator Tim Kaine released the following statement regarding President Biden.
“As I have been saying for weeks, President Biden is a patriotic American who has always put the needs of our country ahead of himself. For more than five decades, he has served this country admirably as a Senator, Vice President, and now President. His decision today reflects the same patriotism that George Washington and Teddy Roosevelt demonstrated when they selflessly put their country above their own political ambitions.
“From ushering in an economic recovery from the pandemic that is the envy of the world, to finally rebuilding our roads and bridges, reclaiming our leadership on the international stage, lowering the cost of prescription drugs and capping the cost of insulin, President Biden has achieved historic progress for our country. I’m deeply grateful for his years of service.
“I am laser-focused on building on the historic accomplishments of the Biden-Harris administration, by continuing to lower costs for Virginians, protecting our democracy at home and abroad, and safeguarding Americans’ reproductive freedoms. I’m looking forward to working with my friend Kamala Harris and a great ticket mate to keep Virginia blue so that we can continue to build on our progress.”
Statement from Virginia Congresswoman Jennifer L. McClellan
“In just one term, President Biden built a tremendous legacy of achievement, saving our economy from the brink of collapse, passing major infrastructure legislation and the most significant climate law in American history. The Biden-Harris Administration is the most consequential presidential administration of my lifetime.
“I applaud President Biden for his five decades of service to the American people, and I look forward to working with him through the end of his term. I know this was a difficult decision for the President, and I thank him for always putting the good of the country first.
“I join President Biden in fully endorsing Vice President Harris as our Democratic nominee. Vice President Harris is a champion for reproductive freedom, civil rights, and a fair economy that leaves no one behind. Vice President Harris is the most qualified person to be President on Day 1. There remains a stark choice in this election between Donald Trump’s campaign of personal retribution and extreme policies as outlined in Project 2025, and Kamala Harris’ campaign to protect our rights and create economic opportunity for all. I call on Democrats to unite behind Vice President Harris to defeat Donald Trump and build on the progress of the Biden-Harris Administration.”
Congresswoman McClellan serves on the Biden-Harris National Advisory Board. McClellan was elected in February 2023, making history as the first Black woman from Virginia to serve in the U.S. Congress. She previously served for 18 years in the Virginia General Assembly.
