Texas reacts to Biden’s exit from 2024 presidential race
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President Biden in the Roosevelt Room of the White House. Photo: Bonnie Cash/UPI/Bloomberg via Getty Images
President Joe Biden's announcement Sunday of his withdrawal from the 2024 presidential election sparked a wave of reactions across the political spectrum in Texas.
Why it matters: The 11th-hour change introduces a seismic and historic shift in the 2024 presidential race less than a month before the Democratic National Convention, set to start Aug. 19.
Driving the news: Minutes after announcing he was stepping aside as the party's nominee, Biden said in a separate post on X that Vice President Kamala Harris has his "full support and endorsement" to be the Democratic presidential nominee.
- Biden, who had faced intense pressure to withdraw from the race following his shaky debate performance on June 27, said he will speak to the nation "later this week in more detail" about his decision.
Zoom in: Texas Democrats released a statement on Sunday saying Biden's decision emphasizes the party's commitment to prioritizing the national interest over individual ambitions.
- "The path forward is clear: Democrats, Independents and Republicans alike must unite, mobilize and vote to once again reject Donald Trump, whose extreme defining principles are in opposition to the values of the middle class," the statement said.
What they're saying: On Sunday, U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett of Austin, the first Democrat in Congress to publicly call for Biden's withdrawal, released a statement applauding the decision.
- Doggett also said that while "Vice President Harris is clearly the leading candidate, we should be open to all talented individuals, who wish to be considered."
- U.S. Rep. Colin Allred, who is campaigning to unseat U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, thanked Biden for the move.
- U.S. Rep. Greg Casar, a Democrat representing parts of San Antonio, also thanked the president and reflected on his work over the past four years.
- State Rep. Ron Reynolds (D-Missouri City), who called for replacing Biden after the presidential debate, said Sunday on Instagram that he is "excited to help elect Vice President Kamala Harris as President."
The other side: Gov. Greg Abbott joined other Republican leaders in calling for Biden to step down from the presidency immediately.
- "If Biden is unfit to run FOR the presidency, he is unfit to run THE presidency," he posted on X.
- Abbott also reacted to Biden's endorsement of Harris, saying he thinks he "will need to triple the border wall, razor wire barriers and National Guard on the border."
What's next: Democrats will likely choose their replacement nominee at the Democratic convention in Chicago next month.
- Texas, which has the third-most delegates after California and New York, will have 273 delegates voting.
Go deeper: What's next for Democrats, delegates to replace Biden on the ticket.