(NEWSnet/AP) – President Joe Biden has decided to withdraw from the 2024 election, according to a social media post Sunday on his personal account.

The possibility had been discussed among political circles for the past three weeks.

The announcement was made shortly after 1:30 p.m. Sunday; and in a follow up post and shortly afterward, Biden endorsed his Vice President, Kamala Harris, for the campaign.

"It has been the greatest honor of my life to serve as your president," his letter said. "And while it has been my intention to seek reelection, I believe it is in the best interest of my party and the country for me to stand down and to focus solely on fulfulling my duties as President for the remainder of my term."

In a follow up post, Biden then said this:

"Today I want to offer my full support and endorsement for Kamala to be the nominee of our party this year. Democrats — it’s time to come together and beat Trump. Let’s do this."

 

Donald Trump formally accepted the nomination of the Republican Party during the GOP national convention last week. The Democrat convention is slated for August.

Reactions

 

Some Republican lawmakers have begun to argue that if Biden isn’t fit to run for reelection, then he should immediately resign.

“If Joe Biden is too weak to stay in the race for the presidency, he should RESIGN as our Commander-in-Chief immediately,” Tennessee Sen. Marsha Blackburn posted on X.

Missouri Sen. Josh Hawley reposted Biden’s letter on X and wrote, “Then RESIGN your office. If you can’t run a mere political campaign, you can’t be President.”

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said in a statement that Biden “has not only been a great president and a great legislative leader but he is a truly amazing human being.“

“His decision of course was not easy, but he once again put his country, his party, and our future first,” said Schumer, who traveled to Rehoboth Beach earlier this month to speak to Biden directly about the race. “Joe, today shows you are a true patriot and great American.”

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, who has been a campaign co-chair for Biden this election cycle, said this: "My job in this election will remain the same: doing everything I can to elect Democrats and stop Donald Trump."

Background

 

Biden’s age was no secret – he’s now 81 – and his Republican counterpart, former president Donald Trump is now 78. But his health and stamina for the role has received increasing attention.

While there is a minimum age of 35 listed in the U.S. Constitution to serve as president; there is no maximum age. Both Biden and Trump are each eligible for one more elected term in office.

During the past three weeks, a number of key Democrats and sponsors have either publicly or privately questioned whether he should stay on the ticket.

On July 18, the Associated Press reported that former president Barack Obama has privately expressed concerns to Democrats about President Joe Biden’s candidacy, and Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi privately warned Biden that Democrats could lose the ability to win control of the House if he remained at the top of the ticket.

The Associated Press reported July 17 that nearly two-thirds of Democrats in a new poll said Biden should withdraw from the presidential race and let his party nominate a different candidate.

COVID-19 diagnosis

 

Biden tested positive for COVID-19 on Wednesday, while on a campaign swing in Las Vegas. He gave one of his scheduled interviews for the day. But in response to some symptoms of the coronavirus, he was tested and canceled his speech for the night.

His symptoms were mild, he was given Paxlovid, and the White House announced he would work remotely from his home in Delaware to recover.

Why Now?

 

The Democrats are facing a deadline on who to name for their presidential candidate. The DNC convention opens Aug. 19 in Chicago; by tradition, the party in the White House holds its convention late in the season.

That being said, there were concerns this spring as to whether Ohio would extend its ballot filing deadline off early August to allow the DNC vote to take place as scheduled.

Although Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine, a Republican, pushed the state’s legislators to extend the deadline, the backup plan for a virtual roll call before the election to meet Ohio’s rules remained in discussion. The DNC virtual roll call is currently expected the first week of August.

Biden's public endorsement of Harris does make his preference clear; but there are still logistics to be settled including the formal nomination and how to handle the political campaign accounts.

Election 2024

 

Biden and Trump both skated through the primary season with only minimal competition within their respective parties.

In Biden’s case, some primary voters who disagreed with his actions and policy relating to the war in Gaza tagged “none of these candidates” on their ballots rather than vote for another candidate.

The third-party candidate that gained the most attention is Robert F. Kenney Jr., an independent who is considered a long shot to earn electoral college votes but has recently been granted Secret Service protection.

The turning point for Biden was the June 27 presidential primary debate. Biden and Trump met for a live matchup on CNN, having agreed to a schedule that included a second televised presidential debate in September and a vice presidential debate in the summer.

Biden’s answers at times during that debate were rambling and dismayed supporters.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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