(IntegrityPress.org) – Following his television debate with rival Donald Trump, President Joe Biden at first resisted calls to stand down as the 2024 Democratic presidential candidate. However, on Sunday, July 21, he put his name to a letter in which he announced his intention to withdraw from the presidential race. He clarified that he would serve out his current term and offered his endorsement to his vice-presidential pick, Kamala Harris.
As the current vice president, Harris is currently the top choice for many Democrats, some of whom were discussing potential replacements for Pres. Biden weeks before he released his resignation letter. With critics pointing to the Democrat president’s alleged cognitive decline, the question of whether he would be capable of serving yet another term was already hotly debated. While some have pointed to well-known Democrats such as Michigan’s Gov. Gretchen Whitmer or California’s Gov. Gavin Newsom as prime candidates, Harris has managed to secure a high level of support across her party.
At least 250 Democrats have publicly supported her presidential candidacy, including Pennsylvania’s Rep. John Fetterman and California’s Rep. Nancy Pelosi. Some, such as Sen. Chuck Schumer (N.Y.) or Rep. Rashida Tlaib (Mich.), have remained coy, avoiding pledging their support for Harris.
A recent poll shows that Harris also enjoys majority support from her party’s voters, with nearly 80% of Democrat voters surveyed saying that they would rather see her as the new presidential nominee than another candidate. The poll found that only 21% of respondents wanted their party to select an alternative candidate in time for the November elections.
Voter support for Harris has seemingly been reflected in a surge in campaign donations since Biden withdrew and gave her his endorsement. The Harris 2024 campaign announced a rise in “grassroots energy” that translates into generous financial support, with 43,000 new donors pledging donations following Biden’s announcement. The Harris 2024 campaign has also enjoyed $1.6 million raised by a single Zoom call facilitated by the Win With Black Women activist group.
Copyright 2024, IntegrityPress.org
