President Joe Biden announced on Sunday that he will end his bid for re-election, marking a sudden and humbling conclusion to his 50-year political career and shaking up the race for the White House just months before Election Day.
At 81, Biden faced increasing sentiment within his party that he was too frail to continue and likely to lose to Donald Trump in November. He has endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris to succeed him as the Democratic nominee.
“While I intended to seek re-election, I believe stepping down is best for my party and the country. I will focus on fulfilling my duties as President for the remainder of my term,” Biden wrote in a letter posted on X. “I will address the Nation later this week to discuss my decision in more detail.”
In his letter, Biden thanked Harris for “being an extraordinary partner” and endorsed her in a subsequent post.
“My first decision as the party nominee in 2020 was to choose Kamala Harris as my Vice President,” Biden posted. “It’s been the best decision I’ve made. Today, I offer my full support and endorsement for Kamala to be our party’s nominee this year.”
Biden and Harris spoke several times on Sunday before the president’s announcement, according to a source familiar with the campaign.
Harris, in a statement, thanked Biden for “his extraordinary leadership” and his “remarkable legacy of achievement.”
“I am honored to have the President’s endorsement and intend to earn and win this nomination,” Harris said. “I will do everything in my power to unite the Democratic Party — and our nation — to defeat Donald Trump and his extreme Project 2025 agenda.”
Despite insisting publicly for weeks that he planned to stay in the race, Biden informed his senior team of his decision to withdraw at 1:45 p.m. ET, according to a source with direct knowledge. The tweet announcing his decision followed at 1:46 p.m.
Biden’s withdrawal concludes a unique national political career, beginning with Richard Nixon’s fall and ending with Trump’s rise. He ran for president four times, served 36 years as a U.S. Senator for Delaware, chaired the powerful Judiciary and Foreign Relations committees, and spent eight years as Vice President under Barack Obama.
‘Great public servant’
Politicians React to Biden's Decision to Withdraw from Re-election Bid Responses from politicians quickly emerged following President Joe Biden's announcement to end his re-election campaign.
California Governor Gavin Newsom praised Biden in a post on X, describing him as “an extraordinary, history-making president — a leader who has fought hard for working people and delivered astonishing results for all Americans.”
— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) July 21, 2024
“He will be remembered as one of the most impactful and selfless presidents,” stated Newsom, a prominent Biden supporter and a potential Democratic presidential candidate.
Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, another notable Democrat mentioned as a potential national candidate, called Biden a “great public servant” in her post on X.
“My role in this election remains unchanged: doing everything possible to elect Democrats and stop Donald Trump, a convicted felon whose agenda of raising families’ costs, banning abortion nationwide, and abusing presidential power is completely wrong for Michigan,” Whitmer wrote.
Naomi Biden, the president’s granddaughter, expressed her pride on X, saying her grandfather has “served our country with every bit of his soul and with unmatched distinction.” First lady Jill Biden shared her husband's statement on X, accompanied by a heart emoji.
On the Republican side, the response was critical, with many calling for Biden's resignation just days after a Republican National Convention where speakers repeatedly criticized the Biden-Harris ticket.
“If Joe Biden is not fit to run for president, he is not fit to serve as President. He must resign immediately,” declared House Speaker Mike Johnson.
In a brief phone interview with NBC News, Trump labeled Biden “the worst president in the history of the United States by far.” When asked if he was surprised by Biden’s decision, Trump responded that Biden “should never have been there in the first place.”
“He should have stayed in his basement,” Trump added.
In a fundraising email, Trump’s campaign stated that Biden “quit the race in complete disgrace.”
An unprecedented decision
Biden's Exit from Re-election Race: A Historic Move in Modern Politics President Joe Biden's decision to withdraw from the re-election race less than a month before his party's convention and just a few months before the general election is unprecedented in modern political history. The last sitting president to abandon a re-election bid was Lyndon Johnson in 1968, but his announcement came eight months before the election, not this close to the convention.
Barbara Perry, a presidential studies professor at the University of Virginia's Miller Center, remarked, “We’re in uncharted waters. No president has dropped out or died this close to the convention.”
Replacing Biden on the Democratic ticket is expected to cause significant internal party shifts as ambitious officials like Kamala Harris, Gretchen Whitmer, and Gavin Newsom vie to become his successor.
Harris, 59, appears to be a leading contender. As the first female vice president and a woman of color, she enjoys strong support among African Americans, a crucial Democratic demographic. However, her overall approval rating was just 32% in a recent NBC News poll.
“There’s no one you can name right now who is an obvious substitute,” Perry added. “That’s what makes this so uncertain and chaotic.”
Unlike Republican delegates, Democratic delegates are not bound to their candidate and can vote for a different candidate at the convention. While Biden might influence delegates, they could choose another candidate depending on any rule changes at the convention.
Democratic National Committee Chair Jaime Harrison stated, “In the coming days, the Party will undertake a transparent and orderly process to move forward as a united Democratic Party with a candidate who can defeat Donald Trump in November. This process will be governed by established rules and procedures of the Party. Our delegates are prepared to take seriously their responsibility in swiftly delivering a candidate to the American people.”
The legal process of adding a new name to ballots also poses significant challenges. Republicans may attempt to create obstacles for the new nominee through legal challenges aimed at keeping them off the ballot.
House Speaker Mike Johnson commented in a CNN interview, “I think they have got legal hurdles in some of these states, and it’ll be litigated. They have got a real problem.”
Support for Harris
Democratic Leaders Rally Around Harris, Though Some Key Figures Hold Back Immediate Endorsement
In the wake of President Joe Biden's announcement to end his re-election campaign, Democratic congressional leadership has not immediately unified behind Vice President Kamala Harris. However, several prominent lawmakers have voiced their support for Harris as the Democratic presidential nominee. Notable figures include Representatives James Clyburn of South Carolina, Jamie Raskin of Maryland, Adam Schiff and Eric Swalwell of California, as well as Senators Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, Chris Coons of Delaware, Chris Murphy of Connecticut, and Mark Kelly of Arizona.
Congressional Black Caucus Chairman Rep. Steven Horsford (D-Nev.) and Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-N.Y.), chair of the group's PAC, expressed their complete support for Harris. “We join Biden in fully supporting Harris as the Democratic presidential nominee,” they said.
“I know one thing, I will only work for @KamalaHarris!” tweeted Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-Texas) shortly before Biden's endorsement. “If it’s anyone OTHER than her, enjoy campaign season.”
Senator Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii) stated, “I look forward to doing everything in my power to get her elected to the White House, so we can continue building on the progress of the last four years.”
Former President Barack Obama did not immediately endorse Harris, stating, “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.”
Debate spurred calls for Biden to end his run
Biden's Health and Performance Sparked Concerns Leading to His Withdrawal Questions regarding President Joe Biden's capacity to govern have been a recurring issue throughout his presidency, reaching a peak after his debate with Donald Trump on June 27. His lackluster performance, coupled with declining poll numbers, caused widespread panic within his party about his chances in the November election.
With 51 million viewers watching, Biden's raspy voice and inability to complete thoughts or present a clear argument for his candidacy alarmed many. He later attributed his poor performance to exhaustion and a cold, urging the public not to let one bad night overshadow his achievements in office.
Despite his appeals, Democratic lawmakers began urging him to step aside. This movement, which started slowly, grew steadily. Before Biden announced his decision to withdraw on Sunday afternoon, 37 congressional Democrats, including independent Sen. Joe Manchin, who previously was in the Democratic Party, had called for him to exit the 2024 race.
These lawmakers appealed to Biden's sense of patriotism, arguing that if he truly believed Trump posed a threat to democracy, he should put the country's needs first and step down.
Biden resisted these calls, engaging in numerous discussions with Democratic officials at all levels to rally support. Despite his efforts, he failed to regain confidence within the party.
To address concerns about his mental sharpness, Biden gave interviews and held press conferences to demonstrate his ability to think on his feet. However, the gaffes continued, and his poll numbers remained stagnant.
In another stroke of bad luck, Biden tested positive for Covid-19 on July 17, forcing him off the campaign trail. This timing created an unfavorable comparison for Democrats: while Trump delivered a triumphant speech accepting the Republican nomination in Milwaukee on July 18, just five days after surviving an assassination attempt, Biden was in self-isolation at home.
Trump rebound
Biden's Departure Adds to the Chaos of the 2024 Presidential Race President Joe Biden's withdrawal from the re-election race is the latest in a series of dramatic developments making the 2024 presidential race one of the most chaotic in recent memory. Meanwhile, Donald Trump secured the Republican nomination despite spending significant time in courtrooms as a defendant in various criminal and civil cases. In May, a Manhattan jury convicted him on 34 felony counts related to hush money payments to a porn star.
Following his conviction, Trump experienced a series of political rebounds. On July 1, the Supreme Court issued a ruling that immunized Trump from prosecution for actions taken while he was president, hindering special counsel Jack Smith’s efforts to prosecute him for interfering in the 2020 election.
On July 13, Trump narrowly survived an assassination attempt at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. A gunman fired a shot that grazed Trump's ear, causing him to drop to the ground. Despite the injury, Trump rose with his face smeared with blood, defiantly pumping his fist and shouting, “Fight!”
Two days later, coinciding with the Republican convention in Milwaukee that certified Trump's nomination, U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon dismissed a separate case against Trump. The case, brought by Smith, alleged that Trump had improperly retained classified documents from his time in the White House. Judge Cannon, a Trump appointee, ruled that Smith's appointment was illegal. Smith quickly appealed the ruling.
These developments provided Trump with a significant boost in momentum, allowing Republicans to present a unified and energized front at the convention.
In contrast, Biden's campaign struggled to generate similar enthusiasm. His primary campaign felt more like a coronation, facing minimal opposition as party leaders cleared the field, betting that Biden, having beaten Trump before, was best positioned to do so again. However, consistent polling indicated that voters were concerned about Biden's age and health, doubting his ability to serve another term.