Election 2024 updates: ‘Let’s go’: Harris says she’s ready to debate Trump

(WASHINGTON) — President Joe Biden gave an Oval Office address to the nation Wednesday night to explain why he dropped out of the presidential race and outline what he hopes to do in his remaining six months in office.

Vice President Kamala Harris is pushing ahead with campaigning for president days after Biden’s decision.

With enough delegates secured to become the presumptive Democratic nominee if they keep to their pledges, Harris has held her first campaign rallies. Donald Trump attacked Harris in North Carolina at his first rally since Biden decided against running for reelection.

Here’s how the news is developing:

‘Let’s go”: Harris says she’s ‘ready to debate Donald Trump’

Harris spoke with reporters after she landing back at Joint Base Andrews outside Washington Thursday, making a point of saying she is ready to debate Donald Trump on Sept. 10.

“I have agreed to the previously agreed upon September 10 debate. He agreed to that previously. Now it appears he’s backpedaling, but I’m ready, and I think the voters deserve to see the split screen that exists in this race on a debate stage, and so I’m ready. Let’s go,” she said.

The debate is scheduled to be hosted by ABC News, with anchors David Muir and Linsey Davis moderating.

In recent days, Trump has requested another network to moderate the debate.

-ABC News’ Justin Gomez

Harris to appear on ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars’ finale

Vice President Kamala Harris is sashaying her way into the RuPaul’s Drag Race Werk Room with a get out the vote message for the season finale of “RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars” Friday at 9 p.m.

“Hi everyone, it’s Kamala Harris. Each day, we’re seeing our rights and freedoms under attack, including the right of everyone to be who they are, love who they love, openly, and with pride. So, as we fight back against these attacks, let’s all remember no one is alone,” she will say.

The video features judge Michelle Visage, Leslie Jones, Lance Bass, Cheyenne Jackson and choreographer Jamal Sims, sitting alongside Harris.

Her appearance on the Vh1 show was filmed in June, according to the vice president’s office.

-ABC News’ Justin Gomez

Harris rallies teachers’ union in Texas, warns of Trump and his ‘extreme allies’

Vice President Kamala Harris on Thursday spoke at the American Federation of Teachers convention in Houston, Texas, where she rallied educators ahead of a fight against former President Donald Trump and his “extreme allies.”

“In this moment, across our nation, we witness a full-on attack on hard-won, hard-fought freedoms,” Harris said. “While you teach students about democracy and representative government, extremists attack the sacred freedom to vote. While you try to create safe and welcoming places where our children can learn, extremists attack our freedom to live safe from gun violence.”

Harris went on to discuss efforts to pass gun safety laws and how Republicans are working to strike those efforts.

“In this moment, we are in a fight for our most fundamental freedoms and to this room of leaders I say, bring it on,” Harris later added. “Bring it on. Bring it on.”

Harris pinned the fight for freedoms against Project 2025, the conservative presidential transition blueprint.

“We are clear eyed. As we work to build a brighter future and to move our nation forward, there are those who are really trying to take us backwards. And you, I’m sure, have seen their agenda, Project 2025?” Harris said, eliciting strong boos from the audience.

She called Project 2025 “a plan to return America to a dark past.”

-ABC News’ Fritz Farrow, Gabriella Abdul-Hakeem and Will McDuffie

Pelosi joins group of female House Democrats endorsing Harris

Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and House Minority Whip Katherine Clark joined more than 30 House Democratic women Thursday to formally endorsee Harris’ presidential run.

The group kicked off a news conference holding Harris signs and chanting “Kamala.”

“[Harris] is capable visually, personally and politically to lead us to victory in November,” Pelosi said.

Pelosi repeatedly referred to former President Donald Trump as “what’s your name.”

“We see ourselves in her. And more importantly, Kamala Harris sees us,” Clark said. “She has a vision for the future that includes everyone, and reflects the needs and priorities of women from every corner of this country.”

The congresswomen also made a point to extend their gratitude and appreciation for Biden.

“He is one of the most impactful presidents in modern history, with a record of achievement that will reverberate for generations to come,” Clark said.

“Last night we saw President Joe Biden talk about his legacy, which, frankly, is our legacy too,” Pelosi said. “With love and gratitude, I salute President Biden for always believing in the possibilities of America.”

-ABC News’ Lauren Peller and Emily Chang

Harris condemns ‘despicable acts’ by protesters of Netanyahu’s speech in DC

Harris said that actions taken by protestors demonstrating against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s remarks outside of Washington, D.C.’s Union Station Wednesday night as “despicable acts by unpatriotic protestors and dangerous hate-fueled rhetoric,” in a statement Thursday.

“I condemn any individuals associating with the brutal terrorist organization Hamas, which has vowed to annihilate the State of Israel and kill Jews,” Harris said in the statement. “Pro-Hamas graffiti and rhetoric is abhorrent and we must not tolerate it in our nation.”

She also strongly condemned burning of the American flag, which was captured in several videos at the scene.

“That flag is a symbol of our highest ideals as a nation and represents the promise of America,” Harris said. “It should never be desecrated in that way.”

The statement came after House Speaker Mike Johnson and a small group House Republicans went to Union Station late Wednesday night to put up American flags.

“Earlier today, pro-Hamas protesters took down the American flags at Union Station, burned them and raised Palestinian flags. Tonight, we righted their wrong. American flags are once again flying over Union Station. We will not let the terrorist mob win,” Johnson said in a statement on X.

Sen. Ted Cruz reposted a video of the protests at Union Station on X, saying the protesters are part of the “left’s base,” claiming “Make no mistake: mainstream Democrats will do anything they can to pander to these antisemites.”

Harris is set to meet with Netanyahu at the White House Thursday. It also comes as people are watching carefully to see how she defines her stance on the Israeli-Hamas War as a presidential candidate — a contentious issue which was a political albatross for Biden when he was a candidate.

-ABC News’ Michelle Stoddart and Lauren Peller

Harris releases first campaign video, targeting Trump legal woes

Vice President Kamala Harris on Thursday released her first official campaign video since jumping into the race for president, in which she zeroes in on her message of “freedom” while taking direct jabs at former President Donald Trump’s legal woes by using his mug shot.

“In this election, we each face a question: What kind of country do we want to live in?” Harris says in the video titled “We Choose Freedom.”

“There are some people who think we should be a country of chaos. Of fear. Of hate,” she says, as images of Trump and his running mate, Sen. JD Vance, flash on screen. “But us. We choose something different; we choose freedom.”

The video features Beyonce’s “Freedom,” a song that the vice president plays as she takes the stage at rallies. It includes shots from Harris’ rally just outside of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, which, according to the campaign, was their largest ever this cycle, including all of President Joe Biden’s rallies since he got into the race in April 2023.

The new campaign add features Harris saying “no one is above the law” over footage of the the former president’s mug shot and newspaper headlines after he was convicted in a New York court.

On the campaign trail, Harris has sought to frame the race as being between a former prosecutor and a convicted felon.

Harris said she has a vision of the future “where no child lives in poverty, where we all can afford health care, where no one is above the law,” and Americans have “the freedom not just to get by but get ahead. The freedom to be safe from gun violence. The freedom to make decisions about your own body.”

Obama thanks Biden for ‘lifetime of service’

Former President Barack Obama praised President Joe Biden’s prime time Oval Office address, saying his former vice president continued his patriotic record.

Obama quoted Biden, who said during his speech to the nation that the “sacred cause of this country is larger than any one of us.”

“Joe Biden has stayed true to these words again and again over a lifetime of service to the American people,” Obama said. “Thank you, @POTUS.”

Pelosi says Biden is on ‘the right side of the future’

Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi released a statement after the speech saying the president “is not only on the right side of history, but on the right side of the future.”

“With love and gratitude, I salute President Biden for always believing in the possibilities of America and giving people the opportunity to reach their fulfillment,” she said.

‘You have always put this country ahead of yourself!’: DNC chair

Democratic National Committee Chair Jaime Harrison thanked Biden for his service in a statement posted on X.

You have always put this country ahead of yourself! We owe you an enormous debt of gratitude!” he said.

Biden speaks to staff after speech amid cheers

Shortly after the president delivered his remarks, massive applause and cheers were overheard pouring out of the White House, where hundreds of staff had gathered to watch their beloved boss deliver his historic address.

Biden sounded as if he were using a microphone to address his staff, starting with “Hello, hello, hello!” and being met with roaring applause.

At one point, it sounded as if the crowd broke into a chant of “Biden! Biden! Biden!”

Gov. Josh Shapiro, potential Harris VP pick, reacts to speech

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, who sources tell ABC News is one of the front-runners for the vice president spot, posted a statement on X following Biden’s speech.

“A patriot, a President who has gotten historic stuff done, and a fighter for our country,” he said, before thanking him for his service.

Trump reacts to Biden speech on Truth Social

Former President Donald Trump made two posts on Truth Social reacting to Biden’s speech, calling it “barely understandable, and sooo bad!”

He added that “CROOKED JOE BIDEN AND LYIN’ KAMALA HARRIS ARE A GREAT EMBARRASSMENT TO AMERICA”

Jill Biden says her ‘heart of full of gratitude’

First lady Jill Biden released a statement on X after the speech saying that her “heart is full of gratitude.”

“Thank you for the trust you put in Joe—now it’s time to put that trust in Kamala. Love, Jill,” she said.

White House staff, family in Oval Office give president ovation after speech

After the president concluded at 8:12 p.m., he was applauded by staff and family gathered in the Oval Office for about 60 seconds.

First lady Jill Biden and several of the president’s grandchildren sat in chairs positioned along the wall to the president’s left.

Ashley Biden, the president’s daughter, sat next to her mother, with her eyes closed, taking several deep breaths during the first few minutes of the address.

The first lady held Ashley Biden’s hand towards the end.

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre and White House Communications Director Ben LaBolt watched from a monitor set up in the back of the room. The president’s top advisers, Mike Donilon and Steve Ricchetti, were also at the White House to observe the moment.

‘He passed the torch to all of us’: Jeffries

House Minority Leader Hakim Jeffries responded to Biden’s speech in a statement on X saying the president “has run a great race and left our country a better place.”

“He passed the torch to all of us. It is now our responsibility to save American democracy,” he said.

Biden looks back at accomplishments

The president looked back at his accomplishments in office noting that the country was still reeling from the pandemic and bounced back.

He cited the 12 million new jobs created, increasing wages and declining inflation.

“We’re literally rebuilding our entire nation, urban, suburban, rural, [and] tribal communities,” he said.

Biden expresses gratitude for the office he long sought

Near the end of his speech, Biden turned personal as he recalled his roots and long career in public service.

“My fellow Americans, it has been the privilege of my life to serve this nation for over 50 years,” he said. “Nowhere else on Earth could a kid with a stutter from modest beginnings of Scranton, Pennsylvania, and Claymont, Delaware, one day sit behind the Resolute desk in the Oval Office as president of the United States but here I am.”

“I give my heart and my soul to my nation, like so many others, but I’m blessed a million times in return for the love and support of the American people,” he said. “I hope you have some idea how grateful I am to all of you.”

‘She’s tough, she’s capable,’ Biden says of Harris

The president touted Harris’ work and encouraged Americans to look at her record during the election.

“Vice president Kamala Harris experienced. She’s tough, she’s capable she’s been an incredible partner to me and a leader for our country. now the choice is up to you,” he said.

Biden lays out his priorities for next six months

Biden laid out what he wants to focus on for the remainder of his term.

“I’ll continue to lower costs for hardworking families, grow our economy,” he said. “I’ll keep defending our personal freedoms and our civil rights from the right to vote to the right to choose. I’ll keep calling out hate and extremism and make it clear there is no place, no place it’s in America for political violence or any violence.”

He went on to say he will continue speaking out against gun violence, working on his Cancer Moonshot initiative and calling for reforms to the Supreme Court.

But getting any legislation passed in a pivotal election year will be difficult with a split Congress.

Biden says he re-thought second term

During his speech, the president talked about his reflecting on saving democracy and his bid for a second term.

Ultimately he decided it was in the best interest to end his campaign.

“Nothing can come in the way of saving our democracy, that includes personal ambition. So I’ve decided the best way forward is the pass the torch to the new generation,” he said.

“There is a time and a place for long years of experience in public life. There’s also a time and a place for new voices, fresh voices and yes, younger voices. And that time and place is now,” he added.

Biden: ‘I revere this office but I love this country more’

President Biden began his remarks by noting the history of the Oval Office and the men who came before him.

“I revere this office but I love my country more,” he said. 

“It’s been the honor of my life to serve as your president but the defense of democracy, which has a stake, I think is more important than a title,” he said.

Biden family feeling ‘deep sense of pride and an enormous amount of gratitude,’ source says

A person who has spent time with Biden and his family over the last couple of days told ABC News that “contrary to the reports I have heard there is no anger or remorse here.”

“There is in only a deep sense of pride and an enormous amount of gratitude and appreciation for the overwhelming recognition of him as a true patriot and historic defender of democracy,” the source said.

“I believe that it will be remembered as one of the most selfless acts done in the interests of the greater good in the history of American politics,” they added.

It’s been three days since Biden announced he was exiting the race

Biden’s bombshell announcement was delivered in a letter to Americans posted on social media on Sunday as he recovered from COVID-19 at his residence in Rehoboth, Delaware.

The post on X came just one minute after he told staff of his decision, sources told ABC News.

“It has been the greatest honor of my life to serve as your President,” Biden wrote. “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 fulfilling my duties as President for the remainder of my term.”

Tonight’s speech will be his first time discussing his decision at length and in front of the cameras to the nation.

Hundreds of White House staffers gather to watch Biden’s address

About 500 White House staffers will be gathered together tonight to watch President Biden’s remarks from the White House State Floor, which includes the East Room and State Dining Room.

Just before 7 p.m., there was a procession of staffers making their way over from the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, where most staffers work, to the White House North Portico entrance.

Trump holds rally just ahead of Biden’s speech, goes after Harris

Donald Trump is currently holding a rally in Charlotte, North Carolina — his first since Biden dropped out of the race.

The former president quickly turned his focus to Harris, claiming she is “the ultra-liberal driving force behind every single Biden catastrophe.”

“You know, I was supposed to be nice,” Trump said. “They say something happened to me when I got shot, I became nice. And when you’re dealing with these people, they’re very dangerous people. When you’re dealing with them, you can’t be too nice. You really can’t be. So, if you don’t mind, I’m not going to be nice.”

Biden to speak about democracy, criticize ‘kings and dictators’

“The defense of democracy is more important than any title,” Biden will say in his prime-time address tonight, according to excerpts released by the White House. “I draw strength, and find joy, in working FOR the American people. But this sacred task of perfecting our Union is not about me. It’s about you. Your families. Your futures. It’s about ‘We the People.'”

He will go on to praise America as a place where “kings and dictators do not rule” — perhaps a subtle jab at Donald Trump, who once remarked he would be a dictator only on “Day 1” if elected to a second term.

“The great thing about America is here, kings and dictators do not rule. The people do,” Biden will say. “History is in your hands. The power is in your hands. The idea of America – lies in your hands.”

Biden to say passing the torch is ‘best way to unite our nation’

In his Oval Office address later this evening, Biden will discuss his decision to withdraw from the 2024 race and endorse Vice President Kamala Harris.

“I have decided the best way forward is to pass the torch to a new generation. That is the best way to unite our nation,” he will say, according to excerpts of his speech released by the White House.

He will also reiterate his commitment to seeing out the remainder of his term.

“Over the next six months I will be focused on doing my job as president,” he will say. “That means I will continue to lower costs for hard-working families and grow our economy. I will keep defending our personal freedoms and our civil rights – from the right to vote – to the right to choose.”

DNC Rules Committee adopts plan that allows virtual nomination process to start as early as Aug. 1

Kamala Harris’ virtual presidential nomination could start Aug. 1, but may be pushed back if other qualified candidates jump in the race.

The Democratic National Convention’s Rules Committee voted 157-3 on Wednesday to adopt a plan that allows the party to start its virtual presidential nomination process as soon as Aug. 1.

While Harris secured commitments from enough delegates to become the presumptive nominee if they all honor their commitment when voting, according to ABC News reporting, the plan approved on Wednesday allows for other candidates to jump in the race. They have from Thursday, July 25, until Saturday, July 27, at 6 p.m. ET to toss their names in the ring.

After filing a declaration of intent, all potential candidates will need to qualify to be considered for the nomination by filing a formal and notarized declaration of candidacy with the DNC, meeting party and legal qualifications to be president, and securing 300 delegate signatures electronically, not more than 50 of which may come from one delegation, according to the committee. The window to submit qualification materials ends on Tuesday, July 30, at 6 p.m. ET.

The rules adopted on Wednesday state that if only one candidate for nomination reaches the delegate support threshold to be considered by the convention, electronic voting by the delegates will begin on Aug. 1.

There is no set end date to virtual voting, but the rules committee said it should be completed “by early August.”

LGBTQ groups, leaders come out in support of Harris

More than 1,100 LGBTQ leaders, celebrities and figures have signed an open letter endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential race.

The letter, released Wednesday to ABC News by the Human Rights Campaign, includes signatures from Sophia Bush, George Takei, Colman Domingo, Zachary Quinto, Jinkx Monsoon; Congress members Ritchie Torres, Mark Takano and Becca Balint, and Delaware State Senator Sarah McBride.

“Vice President Kamala Harris is a galvanizing trailblazer and has been a champion for LGBTQ+ equality for decades: leading the fight in San Francisco against hate crimes, working to end the so-called gay and transgender ‘panic defense’ in California, and, as an early supporter of marriage equality, refusing to defend the unconstitutional Proposition 8,” the letter said.

The letter touts the Biden-Harris administration’s policy record as “the most pro-LGBTQ+ administration in history” for passing the Respect for Marriage Act, advancing non-discrimination protections, expanding data collection, among other LGBTQ-related initiatives.

Several LGBTQ groups including the National LGBTQ Task Force Action Fund and the LGBTQ+ Victory Institute have also spoken out in favor of a Harris presidency.

“The community is sending a message loud and clear: we are united in support of the experienced, tough, pro-equality Vice President Kamala Harris and will do everything it takes to defeat Donald Trump and JD Vance,” said Human Rights Campaign President Kelley Robinson.

The LGBTQ voting bloc is expected to grow in the next two decades, nearing one in five voters by 2040, according to a federal data analysis by the Human Rights Campaign and Bowling Green State University.

-ABC News’ Kiara Alfonseca

Harris says Biden will talk about ‘extraordinary’ accomplishments tonight

Harris, addressing the historically Black Zeta Phi Beta Sorority’s Grand Boulé in Indianapolis on Wednesday, said President Joe Biden will talk about his decision to abandon his reelection bid and his “extraordinary” accomplishments as president during his planned speech Wednesday night.

“Our president will address the nation about his decision to step down as a candidate, and he will talk about not only the work, the extraordinary work that he has accomplished, but about his work in the next six months,” Harris said.

“Joe Biden is a leader with bold vision. He cares about the future. He thinks about the future. He has extraordinary determination and profound compassion for the people of our country. And I say that because I know that we are all deeply, deeply grateful for his service to our nation,” she added.

-ABC News’ Gabriella Abdul-Hakim, Fritz Farrow, and Will McDuffie

Harris to speak to Zeta Phi Beta sorority in Indianapolis

Vice President Kamala Harris plans to give remarks to one of the country’s largest historically Black sororities in Indianapolis on Wednesday.

Zeta Phi Beta is a part of the “Divine Nine” — a collection of nine historically Black fraternities and sororities.

The event, which the White House announced in early July before Biden dropped out of the race, was scheduled during the same time that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited Washington.

Harris will not be attending Netanyahu’s address to Congress later in the afternoon.

-ABC News’ Gabriella Abdul-Hakim, Fritz Farrow and Will McDuffie

House GOP leaders tell members to attack Harris on her record, not her race or gender

House Republican leaders have privately told their conference to focus their attacks against Harris on her record, sources familiar with the conversation tell ABC News.

It comes after a number of House Republicans made references to Harris’ race and gender when asked by reporters about her bid for the White House. Some like Reps. Tim Burchett of Tennessee and Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia went as far as calling her a “DEI Vice President” or “DEI hire.”

When House Republicans met behind closed doors on Tuesday, North Carolina Rep. Richard Hudson, who is a member of House leadership, warned members against making comments about Harris’ race including that she’s a “DEI pick” and urged the party to focus on her record, per multiple sources in the room.

It’s notable coming from Hudson, who is the chair of the National Republican Congressional Committee, the House GOP’s campaign arm.

Presidents of two teacher unions endorse Harris

Ahead of Vice President Kamala Harris’ speech at the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) national convention, AFT President Randi Weingarten and National Education Association President Becky Pringle both endorsed Harris for president.

“Vice President Harris has delivered time and again for students and educators, and educators know we can count on her continued partnership in expanding access to free school meals for students, investing in student mental health, working to ensure no educator has to carry the weight of crushing student debt and, doing everything possible to keep our communities and schools safe,” Pringle said in a statement Tuesday.

Harris is expected to give a keynote address this week at the AFT convention in Houston, on Thursday. She will be speaking to the nation’s largest teachers union at their 88th annual gathering.

‘Harris is chronically underestimated,’ Hillary Clinton says

Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton published an op-ed in the New York Times on Tuesday reaffirming her support of Harris and warning of the attacks that Republicans will use against her during the campaign.

The 2016 Democratic nominee said that Harris is “chronically underestimated, as are so many women in politics, but she is well prepared for this moment,” citing the vice president’s experience as a prosecutor, U.S. senator and four years in the White House.

“Harris has sat with the president in the Situation Room, helping make the hardest decisions a leader can make. And when the extremist Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, she became the administration’s most passionate and effective advocate for restoring women’s reproductive rights,” Clinton wrote.

Clinton referred to her own candidacy and the sexist attacks labeled against her by Republicans and critics. She said Harris “will face unique additional challenges as the first Black and South Asian woman to be at the top of a major party’s ticket.”

“Ms. Harris’s record and character will be distorted and disparaged by a flood of disinformation and the kind of ugly prejudice we’re already hearing from MAGA mouthpieces. She and the campaign will have to cut through the noise, and all of us as voters must be thoughtful about what we read, believe and share,” Clinton said.

Sen. Mark Kelly dodges questions about possible VP consideration

Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly dodged questions from an ABC News reporter Tuesday about whether he received vetting materials for a potential vice presidential ticket.

“This is not about me,” he said. “I’m going to be focused on doing everything I can to make sure she is elected because we cannot have a repeat of what we saw between 2016 and 2020.”

Kelly is seen as one of the front-runners to be Vice President Harris’ running mate, sources have told ABC News.

Harris to visit Houston on Thursday

Harris is scheduled to visit Houston on Thursday to deliver the keynote speech at the American Federation of Teachers’ 88th national convention, according to the campaign.

“The Vice President’s speech to educators from communities throughout the nation is a continuation of her consistent efforts to fight for workers across America, including as Chair of the White House Task Force on Worker Organizing and Empowerment,” the campaign said in a statement.

-ABC News’ Cheyenne Haslett

Planned Parenthood Action Fund backs Harris

The Planned Parenthood Action Fund announced Tuesday that it will support Harris’s presidential bid, citing her work promoting women’s reproductive rights.

“Here’s the undeniable truth: Vice President Kamala Harris is the only person running for president that we can trust to protect access to abortion,” Alexis McGill Johnson, the president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Action Fund, said in a statement.

-ABC News’ Ely Brown

Congressional Black Caucus expresses their ‘full and unanimous support’ for Harris

The Congressional Black Caucus PAC (CBCPAC) extended its enthusiastic endorsement of Harris as the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee during a press conference Tuesday.

Chair Gregory Meeks, D-N.Y., expressed the caucus’ “full and unanimous support.”

“She is the most experienced individual for our safety and security around the world,” he said. “She has more experience than any of the past four presidents before President Biden. She’s the right person at the right time to get the job done.”

The caucus also highlighted recent Zoom calls in which thousands of Black women continue to organize support efforts on behalf of Harris.

Rep. Joe Neguse, D-Colo., explained that he “cannot wait” to hold his 5-year-old daughter’s hand and “see this incredibly talented Black woman become President of the United States of America.”

-ABC News’ Emily Chang

Everytown, other gun safety groups endorse Harris

A coalition of major gun safety groups announced their joint endorsement Tuesday of Harris’ bid for the top of the ticket, framing the choice for who holds the Oval Office as a matter of grave safety.

The coalition included Everytown for Gun Safety and its grassroots networks Moms Demand Action and Students Demand Action, as well as Newtown Action Alliance and Community Justice Action Fund.

“Throughout her career in public service, Vice President Harris has been a powerful force in the fight for our freedoms — including the freedom to live free from the threat of gun violence. Gun extremists have a dream ticket with Trump and Vance, and our volunteers stand ready to do everything in our power to elect Vice President Harris back into the White House,” Angela Ferrell-Zabala, executive director of Moms Demand Action, said in a statement to ABC News.

Everytown backed the Biden-Harris ticket last year. Brady, another gun-control group, which backed Harris on Sunday, also reiterated its support Tuesday.

“A vote for Kamala Harris is a vote to free America from the grips of gun violence. This November, our lives are on the ballot,” Kris Brown, the president of Brady, said in a statement.

Similar groups, Team ENOUGH and GIFFORDS — founded by Gabby Giffords — are also endorsing Harris. Giffords’ husband is Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly, who a source tells ABC News is among a list of vice presidential hopefuls being vetted to be her running mate.

Lauding the Biden-Harris administration’s work on gun safety, some of the groups specifically highlighted the work Harris has already done to address gun violence nationwide — and in Black and Hispanic communities.

“Everything we’ve worked towards could be rolled back on day one with the wrong administration in charge,” José Alfaro, executive director of the Community Justice Action Fund, said in a statement. “As Vice President, Harris has shown unwavering dedication to addressing gun violence nationwide as a public health issue, investing hundreds of millions of dollars in community violence intervention and leading the first-ever White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention. These acts carry on the legacy of Black women, pushing, fighting, and willing change to happen in the gun violence prevention movement.”

–ABC News’ Sasha Pezenik

Harris chastises Trump, thanks supporters during first rally in Wisconsin

Harris rallied voters in battleground Wisconsin on Tuesday, her first presidential campaign event since securing enough delegate pledges for the Democratic nomination if they keep their word — and used the rally to sharply frame her race against former President Donald Trump.

Harris attacked Trump and his running mate, Ohio Sen. JD Vance, on the issue of abortion and Project 2025, the conservative presidential transition blueprint fronted by the Heritage Foundation.

“We’ll stop Donald Trump’s extreme abortion bans because we trust women to make decisions about their own body and not have the government tell them what to do,” Harris said to raucous applause. “And when Congress passes the law to restore reproductive freedoms, as president of the United States, I will sign it into law.”

During the rally, Harris touted her previous experience while making a dig at Trump.

“In those roles, I took on perpetrators of all kinds: predators who abused women, fraudsters who ripped off consumers, cheaters who broke the rules for their own gain,” she said. “So, hear me when I say, I know Donald Trump’s type.”

-ABC News’ Fritz Farrow and Sarah Beth Hensley

Biden makes first appearance since dropping out of the race

Biden briefly spoke with reporters as he boarded Air Force One at Dover Air Base on Tuesday.

The president, who tested negative for COVID-19, said he was “feeling well,” and didn’t respond to questions about bowing out of the race.

Biden had a mask in hand, which he placed in his pocket after he got out of the car before getting on the plane.

The president gave a salute and a thumbs up as he boarded.

-ABC News’ Cheyenne Haslett

Schumer, Jeffries endorse Harris

Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries voiced their strong support for Harris to be the Democratic nominee for president in a press conference Tuesday afternoon.

“We are here today to throw our support behind Vice President Kamala Harris,” Schumer said.

“We are brimming with excitement, enthusiasm and unity,” Schumer said as he announced that Harris would be the candidate. “She said she would work to earn the support of our party and boy did she do so, in quick order.”

Schumer noted a “surge of enthusiasm from every corner of our party uniting behind Vice President Harris.” He touted her record and said her candidacy is the “next chapter in our quest” to ensure former President Donald Trump does not become retake the White House.

Jeffries said Harris is “ready, willing and able to lead us into the future.”

“I am proud to strongly endorse Kamala Harris to be the 47th President of the United States of America,” Jeffries said.

-ABC News’ Allison Pecorin

Harris to Indianapolis on Wednesday

The White House has just sent details on two upcoming trips, one for Vice President Kamala Harris this week and one for President Joe Biden next week.

Harris will travel to Indianapolis on Wednesday to attend the biennial convention of one of the nation’s largest historically Black sororities. This will be on the heels of her visit to Milwaukee today.

Biden will travel to Austin next Monday, July 29 — a rescheduled visit to the LBJ Presidential Library for the 60th Anniversary of the Civil Rights Act. The president didn’t go last week, as originally scheduled, in the aftermath of the assassination attempt.

-ABC News’ Cheyenne Haslett

Blinken talks up Harris’ foreign policy experience

In a very rare move, the State Department organized a press gaggle with Secretary of State Antony Blinken, creating an opportunity for him to address the recent Washington headlines.

ABC News asked Blinken for his reaction to President Biden’s decision not to seek another term and whether he saw Vice President Harris as an able replacement.

“As you all know, I don’t engage in politics,” Blinken began, but said he has known Harris for more than a decade and said he had been able to “observe her very closely in the situation room, in the Oval Office, around the world as a leading voice for American foreign policy.”

Though the secretary did not explicitly endorse Harris, he extolled her leadership during foreign engagements, citing her work in East Asia and also claiming she was “deeply engaged in the Middle East and trying to find a peaceful path forward” and “helping to drive investment in countries in our own hemisphere so people have opportunity in the countries that they come from so they don’t have to make the hazardous journey to the United States.”

Blinken continued: “What I’ve observed is someone that asks time and again the penetrating questions, who cuts to the chase, and is intensely focused on the interests of the American people and making sure our foreign policy is doing everything it can to advance those interests.”

Vice President Harris’ perceived lack of experience in foreign policy has clouded her campaign. While in office, she has spent just three days in the Middle East and four days in Latin America. Still, the secretary rejected the notion that it wasn’t her forte.

“My observation is she is a very strong, very effective and deeply respected voice for our country around the world. When she speaks, she speaks on behalf of the United States,” Blinken said.

-ABC News’ Shannon K. Kingston

When Biden took ill in Vegas last week, roads were shut down on route to hospital: Police

The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department began shutting down roads leading to UMC Hospital last week when President Biden took ill in Vegas, according to the department.

“The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department was notified that President Joe Biden was sick on July 17th during his visit to Las Vegas. We did not know the nature of his illness. As a precaution, LVMPD proactively began to shut down roads leading to UMC Hospital. The Secret Service then advised LVMPD the President was going directly to Harry Reid International Airport and would be leaving Las Vegas,” the department told ABC News.

Biden tested positive for COVID on Wednesday, following a campaign event in Las Vegas, the White House said. He has been self-isolating in Rehoboth, Delaware.

-ABC News’ Josh Margolin and Alex Stone

VP vetting process has begun: Shapiro, Cooper, Kelly, Beshear asked to submit materials

The vetting of potential running mates for Harris has already begun, according to a source briefed on the process.

“The horse has left the barn,” the source said.

The campaign does not see Aug. 7 as a deadline — a date that marks the end of the planned virtual roll call, according to the source. The vice presidential pick is unlikely to be finalized by then.

The source said these four individuals have all been asked to submit materials: Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly; Govs. Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania; Roy Cooper of North Carolina and Andy Beshear of Kentucky.

But that list is “not exhaustive” — in other words, there may be another name or two, the source added.

-ABC News’ Jonathan Karl

Biden to address the nation tomorrow

President Biden will deliver remarks about his decision to drop out of the 2024 race on Wednesday.

“Tomorrow evening at 8 PM ET, I will address the nation from the Oval Office on what lies ahead, and how I will finish the job for the American people,” Biden wrote on X.

Biden announced his decision to not seek reelection in a letter addressed to his “fellow Americans” that he posted on social media on Sunday.

Harris issues statement on fatal shooting of Sonya Massey, said she ‘deserved to be safe’

Harris has issued a statement on the fatal shooting of Sonya Massey, an unarmed Black woman who was shot in her own home by a deputy after calling 911 to report a possible intruder.

“Sonya Massey deserved to be safe,” Harris wrote in the statement. “After she called the police for help, she was tragically killed in her own home at the hands of a responding officer sworn to protect and serve. Doug and I send strength and prayers to Sonya’s family and friends, and we join them in grieving her senseless death.”

Police body camera footage was released by by the Illinois State Police Monday afternoon.

“The disturbing footage released yesterday confirms what we know from the lived experiences of so many – we have much work to do to ensure that our justice system fully lives up to its name,” Harris said.

Harris said he joined Biden in calling on Congress to pass the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act — a bill she coauthored when she served in the Senate.

“In this moment, in honor of Sonya’s memory and the memory of so many more whose names we may never know, we must come together to achieve meaningful reforms that advance the safety of all communities,” Harris said.

-ABC News’ Sarah Beth Hensley

Josh Shapiro and Mark Kelly said to be leading VP candidates for Harris

While the vetting process is just getting started, a senior administration official told ABC News’ Martha Raddatz that Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro and Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly are the leading candidates to be Harris’ running mate.

The two men come from key 2024 battleground states, and have experience trouncing Trump-endorsed candidates.

Shapiro, 51, was Pennsylvania’s attorney general before being elected governor in 2022 after defeating Republican Doug Mastriano.

Kelly, a 60-year-old former astronaut and Navy captain who is married to former congresswoman Gabby Giffords, won his Senate seat in 2022. He defeated Republican challenger Blake Masters.

George Clooney endorses Harris in statement to CNN

Actor and Democratic megadonor George Clooney, whose op-ed in the New York Times calling on Biden to step aside ignited a political firestorm, told CNN he is committed to supporting Vice President Harris.

“President Biden has shown what true leadership is. He’s saving democracy once again. We’re all so excited to do whatever we can to support Vice President Harris in her historic quest,” he said in a statement first provided to the network.

Harris to hold first campaign rally in Milwaukee

Vice President Kamala Harris will on Tuesday hold her first presidential campaign rally in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, according to her campaign.

The Harris campaign signaled in a memo that the vice president would take on former President Donald Trump and his running mate, Sen. JD Vance, on abortion and Project 2025.

The campaign said Harris “is prepared to prosecute the case against Donald Trump — and there’s no better place to drive this contrast than Milwaukee, Wisconsin.”

The rally comes days after Republicans held their nominating convention in Milwaukee, and weeks before the Democrats hold their convention in Chicago.

“Vice President Harris’s visit will highlight the choice facing Wisconsinites: between Donald Trump, the convicted felon who would drag this country backwards, and her brighter vision for the future, where our freedoms are protected and every American has a fair shot,” the campaign said in the memo.

Harris raises $100 million, campaign says

Vice President Kamala Harris has raised $100 million since entering the race for president on Sunday, according to her campaign.

The massive haul was raised between Sunday afternoon — when President Joe Biden announced he would step down from the ticket — and Monday evening, the Harris campaign said. The Democratic National Committee and its joint fundraising committees raised the money, the campaign said.

About 58,000 people also signed up to volunteer for the vice president’s campaign, a figure that is more than 100 times its average daily signup rate, according to the campaign.

Harris ‘proud’ after securing enough delegates to become presumptive nominee

Vice President Kamala Harris has reacted to the news she has secured commitments from enough delegates to become the presumptive Democratic nominee for president.

“When I announced my campaign for President, I said I intended to go out and earn this nomination. Tonight, I am proud to have secured the broad support needed to become our party’s nominee, and as a daughter of California, I am proud that my home state’s delegation helped put our campaign over the top,” Harris said in a statement. “I look forward to formally accepting the nomination soon.”

The vice president also expressed gratitude for the support she’s received from President Joe Biden and those in the Democratic Party who have already endorsed her.

She also drew a contrast between herself and GOP candidate Donald Trump.

“This election will present a clear choice between two different visions. Donald Trump wants to take our country back to a time before many of us had full freedoms and equal rights. I believe in a future that strengthens our democracy, protects reproductive freedom and ensures every person has the opportunity to not just get by, but to get ahead,” she said in her statement.

“Over the next few months, I will be traveling across the country talking to Americans about everything that is on the line. I fully intend to unite our party, unite our nation, and defeat Donald Trump in November,” her statement concluded.

According to ABC News’ reporting earlier on Monday night, Harris secured commitments from enough delegates to become the presumptive Democratic nominee for president if they all honor their commitments when voting.

Kamala Harris secures enough delegates to become presumptive Democratic nominee

Vice President Kamala Harris has secured commitments from enough delegates to become the presumptive Democratic nominee for president if they all honor their commitment when voting, according to ABC News’ reporting.

Many state parties — including groups with large delegations such as California and New York — announced Monday, the day after Harris announced she was running, that all of their delegates would commit to supporting her.

This was significant because the delegates that President Joe Biden accrued during the primaries do not automatically go to Harris, and delegates remain permitted to “vote their conscience.”

As of 10:15 PM ET, according to ABC News’ reporting, Harris has secured non-binding commitments from at least 2,208 delegates, over the 1,975 delegates needed to clinch the nomination.

California Democratic Party endorses Kamala Harris for president

The California Democratic Party, the largest state delegation, announced it is endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris in the 2024 election.

“The California Democratic Party is proud to offer our endorsement to California’s own, Vice President Kamala Harris, who represents a new generation of leadership and has the ability to unite our party and beat Trump in November,” Rusty Hicks, chair of CADEM, said in a statement Monday.

“The California Delegation quickly coalesced behind Vice President Harris for President because she’s smart, she’s tough and no one is better prepared to prosecute the case against convicted felon, Donald Trump,” Hicks added.

DNC solidifying plans for virtual roll call to select presidential nominee

The Democratic National Committee (DNC) has proposed moving forward with the virtual roll call for delegates to select a presidential nominee ahead of their in-person convention in Chicago on August 19, party leadership said Monday evening during a press briefing.

The party has not proposed a date when the virtual roll call will begin, but DNC Chair Jaime Harrison said they will still deliver a nominee by Aug. 7, but may come as soon as Aug. 1.

A DNC official also confirmed during the briefing that only pledged delegates — and not automatic delegates (superdelegates) — can vote on the first round of virtual roll call voting (first ballot), unless any candidate has secured a majority of all delegate votes. It is also possible for automatic delegates to vote on the first ballot — though it would not be easy, according to the DNC official, and could only happen if a candidate were to submit a majority of the convention delegates in support of their nomination petition, rather than a required 300 delegate signatures.

On Monday, Harrison and Democratic National Convention Committee Chair Minyon Moore said that the truncated virtual process, which was proposed after a ballot access issue in Ohio that has since been resolved, will still “ensure” that their nominees are on the ballot in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.

“There is still a need for a virtual component to our nominating process. That has not changed, as we laid out in May, we are committed to meeting valid access deadlines,” Moore said.

“Immediately after President Biden withdrew from the race, Republican leaders, including Speaker Mike Johnson, made clear that they would file losses to challenge the Democratic nominee’s place on the ballot. That’s why we are working in close collaboration with the convention Rules Committee on a framework for the nominating process, which will incorporate an electronic voting system to ensure we meet these deadlines,” she added.

Delegates will be informed about possible candidates through “a candidate directory” that will be provided to them, and delegates can opt into communications from those candidates.

A DNC official later clarified that interested candidates can be included in the directory even before reaching 300 signatures.

Biden to return to White House after exiting presidential race, COVID-19 isolation

President Joe Biden is scheduled to return to the White House Tuesday for the first time since announcing he is stepping aside from the 2024 presidential race.

The return also comes after the president began isolating in Rehoboth, Delaware, after testing positive for COVID-19 last week.

Biden will depart Delaware Tuesday afternoon and is estimated to be back at the White House by 2:30 PM ET.

No other events are currently on the president’s schedule.

Sen. Bernie Sanders says Harris can ‘win big’ by taking on issues of working class

Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., said Monday night that he wants to see Vice President Kamala Harris campaign for president “on issues of importance for the working class of this country.”

In an interview with Linsey Davis on ABC News Live, Sanders said he wants Harris to “stand up to corporate greed and massive income and wealth inequality.”

He also called for her to support raising the minimum wage and expand Social Security and Medicare. Sanders also said he wants Harris to “demand that the wealthy start paying their fair share of taxes.”

If Harris takes on those issues, Sanders said he believes she “can win big,” but he still wants to “have just another conversation” with the vice president.

Sanders had been supporting President Joe Biden in the 2024 election before Biden’s withdrawal from the campaign on Sunday night.

“This has been a very unprecedented situation. I am not overjoyed about the way that President Biden was treated,” Sanders said. “We are where we are right now, and I’m 99% sure that the vice president will be the nominee. And then she has an excellent chance to win this election.”

While he still has plans to speak with Harris, he is committed to keeping former President Donald Trump from returning to the White House.

“Well, I’m going to do everything I can to see that Donald Trump, [the] most dangerous president in American history, is defeated,” Sanders said.

AFL-CIO unanimously endorses Kamala Harris for president

The American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations has thrown its unanimous support behind Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential race.

“From day one, Vice President Kamala Harris has been a true partner in leading the most pro-labor administration in history,” AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler wrote in a statement Monday.

“At every step in her distinguished career in public office, she’s proven herself a principled and tenacious fighter for working people and a visionary leader we can count on,” Shuler continued.

“From taking on Wall Street and corporate greed to leading efforts to expand affordable child care and support vulnerable workers, she’s shown time and again that she’s on our side. With Kamala Harris in the White House, together we’ll continue to build on the powerful legacy of the Biden-Harris administration to create good union jobs, grow the labor movement and make our economy work for all of us,” she added.

The support for Harris’ campaign comes as some of the nation’s largest unions also have offered support, praise and outright endorsements to the vice president.

The Service Employees International Union, whose two million members make it the nation’s largest private sector union, endorsed Harris on Sunday. So did Local 3000 of the United Food and Commercial Workers, a labor organization in the Pacific Northwest, which drew attention last week when it became the only Biden-aligned union to call for him to step aside.

Kamala Harris thanks Biden for endorsement during call to campaign HQ

Vice President Kamala Harris thanked President Joe Biden for endorsing her in the 2024 presidential race on Monday.

“It is my great honor to have Joe’s endorsement in this race,” Harris said while speaking to campaign staff in Delaware.

Echoing Biden’s comments on his commitment to the Democratic campaign, Harris said, “Joe is not done, far from it.”

“He knows there is still more work to do and our nation will continue to praise his bold and visionary leadership as president,” Harris said, adding, “Thank you, Joe.”

Biden calls in to Harris campaign HQ, thanks staffers: ‘Mission hasn’t changed at all’

President Biden called in to speak with Kamala Harris’ campaign HQ on Monday, saying he “isn’t going anywhere” after announcing Sunday that he’s stepping aside from his reelection bid.

“The name has changed at the top of the ticket, but the mission hasn’t changed at all,” Biden said over the phone. 

“And by the way, I’m not going anywhere. I’m going to be out there on the campaign with her,” he added.

“I’m going to be working like hell, both as a sitting president, getting legislation passed, as well as in campaigning,” Biden said.

Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear says he’s spoken to Kamala Harris amid potential VP speculation

Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear said he spoke to Vice President Kamala Harris after her campaign announcement Sunday.

“The vice president reached out to me yesterday, just a couple hours after the president put out the news, and I was very grateful that she would reach out to me personally. She asked for my support. I agreed, and thus, this morning, I fully endorsed her and will do everything I can to help her win,” Beshear told Louisville ABC affiliate WHAS-TV.

Amid speculation Beshear could be a possible running mate, the governor signaled what he could bring to the campaign.

“We’ve shown that we know how to win. We know how to reach across the divide, and how to campaign in a way where we talk to people and not at them, where we listen to people’s concerns and we give them confidence that we’re going to address them,” Beshear said.

“But I think it’s more than just running,” Beshear added. “It’s also how you govern, governing in a way that addresses people’s everyday needs, the things they worry about when they get up in the morning.” 

Harris campaign says 28,000 volunteers have signed up in 24 hours

Kamala Harris’ presidential campaign has surged in the 24 hours since announcing her candidacy, with 28,000 volunteers signing up to help organize, according to her campaign.

The boost in efforts is more than 100 times than on an average day, according to campaign officials.

Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs endorses Harris

Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs formally endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris on Monday afternoon.

“As the last few weeks have made clear, Americans are looking for a new generation of leadership that will move past the divisiveness and unite us around our shared American values. I believe that leader is Vice President Harris, and I look forward to working with her to lower costs for Arizonans, restore reproductive freedom, and defend our democratic rights,” Hobbs wrote on X.

-ABC News’ Oren Oppenheim

Former AG Eric Holder to conduct vetting for Harris running mate: Sources

Former Attorney General Eric Holder and his law firm Covington & Burling is expected to lead the vetting of a potential running mate for Vice President Kamala Harris, according to multiple sources briefed on the plans.

The vetting, which typically consist of requests for various documents along with formal interviews, is expected to get underway almost immediately, the sources said, given the team is operating in a truncated timeframe.

Among the names likely to be vetted are Govs. Josh Shapiro, Roy Cooper and Andy Beshear, and Sen. Mark Kelly, according to the sources.

-ABC News’ Jonathan Karl and Katherine Faulders

Josh Shapiro declines to ‘engage in hypotheticals’ about whether he would accept VP role

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro repeatedly declined on Monday to say whether he would accept an offer to be Kamala Harris’ running mate, telling reporters at an event in Pittsburgh that he would “not engage in hypotheticals.”

“I’m not going to engage in hypotheticals. This is a deeply personal decision the vice president will make. She will make it on her own timetable and on her own timeline,” he said. “She needs to choose someone that she’s prepared to govern with, campaign with, and someone that she feels most comfortable with. That decision should be made free of any sort of political pressure.”

When asked whether he and Harris, who spoke Sunday, had discussed whether he is under consideration for the position, Shapiro said their conversation was “all about how we beat Donald Trump.”

“I spoke to the vice president yesterday shortly after I spoke to the president. You know what we focused on? Defeating Donald Trump. Our conversation was all about how we beat Donald Trump to protect our freedoms in this commonwealth,” he said.

-ABC News’ Will McDuffie

Harris campaign says it has raised $81M in 24 hours

The Harris campaign claims it has raised $81 million in the last 24 hours.

The haul includes donations raised across the campaign, Democratic National Committee and joint fundraising committees, it said.

“The historic outpouring of support for Vice President Harris represents exactly the kind of grassroots energy and enthusiasm that wins elections. Already, we are seeing a broad and diverse coalition come together to support our critical work of talking to the voters that will decide this election,” Harris for President spokesperson Kevin Munoz said in a statement to ABC News, in part.

ABC News is not able to independently verify this information until the numbers are reported to the FEC.

-ABC News’ Gabriella Abdul-Hakim, Fritz Farrow and Will McDuffie

Biden’s chief of staff holds call with White House staff, sources say

President Joe Biden’s Chief of Staff Jeff Zients held calls Monday with White House staff members and appointees across the Biden-Harris administration following his decision to end his bid for reelection Sunday, sources familiar with the matter told ABC News.

Zients told team members to “have the president’s back,” keep their “heads down” and “get work done,” the sources said.

Biden has told Zients there’s more work to do, including “lowering costs for families — from health care to housing, implementing historic bipartisan legislation, protecting the freedoms of Americans and standing up for democracy,” the sources said.

The sources added that Zients also thanked the team and said: “Together as a team — and under the vice president’s leadership, we did everything from bringing the country back from a once-in-a-century pandemic to historic legislation to restoring America’s standing in the world.”

He closed the calls by telling staff to “run through the tape” and “finish the job,” according to the sources.

-ABC News’ Selina Wang

Jeffries stops short of endorsing Harris yet, says he’ll meet with her and Schumer

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries stopped short of endorsing Kamala Harris as the presidential nominee yet, but said on Monday that he plans to meet with her and Senate Majority Leader Schumer “in short order.”

Jeffries praised Harris, saying: “I’m excited for that meeting. Let me say this — that Vice President Kamala Harris has excited the community. She has excited the House Democratic Caucus. She’s excited the country.”

It’s not clear when this meeting will occur. “We are waiting on Leader Schumer to get back to town, as well as to get exact confirmation from VP Harris,” Jeffries said.

“We owe a debt of gratitude to President Biden for his tremendous leadership, and I’m also thankful for the incredible partnership that he has had for the last three and a half years with Vice President Kamala Harris,” Jeffries said.

Jeffries would not say what he and Biden discussed when they recently met privately.

“President Joe Biden is a heroic, patriotic and transformational figure, and he will go down in history as one of the greatest public servants of all time. That much is clear,” he said.

-ABC News’ Jay O’Brien and Lauren Peller

Dem super PAC secures commitments of $150M in withheld donations from after Biden’s debate performance

In the last 24 hours Future Forward, the preferred super PAC that previously backed President Biden’s reelection bid and now Harris’ election bid, claims it has secured commitments of $150 million from donors who were threatening to withhold their donations after Biden’s debate performance, according to a senior aide at Future Forward.

The super PAC had already reserved $250 million in TV and digital advertising earlier this year.

“Future Forward will continue working to make sure Donald Trump is defeated in this election and those dangerous consequences are never felt by the American people,” the senior aide told ABC News.

-ABC News’ Gabriella Abdul-Hakim, Fritz Farrow and Will McDuffie

Biden to campaign ‘aggressively’ with Harris in battleground states as soon as doctor clears him: Source

President Biden plans to campaign in battleground states “very aggressively” with Vice President Harris as soon as the doctor gives him the COVID “all-clear,” according to a senior administration official.

Biden tested positive for COVID last week.

The president will first return to the White House, then will hit the trail in the coming weeks to campaign for and with Harris, the source added.

The president is still expected to deliver remarks later this week and meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House. The timing of all of this, the source said, is dependent on Biden’s COVID recovery. But the source said they are “hopeful” it will be later this week.

The source added that they want to make sure Biden’s “voice” is ready to go and that he can clearly deliver his message.

The senior administration official emphasized that Biden is still “going to finish the job” and that his priorities will remain the same. Part of finishing that job, this person added, is making sure Harris gets elected.

Another official said the president is still “full steam ahead” on his legislative priorities.

-ABC News’ Selina Wang

Pelosi endorses Harris

Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris for president on Monday.

“Today, it is with immense pride and limitless optimism for our country’s future that I endorse Vice President Kamala Harris for President of the United States,” she wrote in a statement.

Read more here.

Whitmer says ‘no’ to potential VP nod, says she’ll stay in Michigan

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, speaking to a local station’s reporter on Monday, said she would not take the vice presidency if offered and that she does not plan on leaving Michigan.

“No. I am not planning to go anywhere,” Whitmer said when asked if she is prepared to take the vice presidency if it were to be offered to her.

When asked to confirm that, if offered the position, she would not take it, Whitmer said, “I am not leaving Michigan. I am proud to be the governor of Michigan. I have been consistent. I know everyone is always suspicious and asking this question over and over again; I know you’re doing your job. I am not going anywhere.”

-ABC News’ Rick Klein

Michael Bloomberg urges Democratic Party not to rush ‘to determine who is best positioned to win in November’

Major Democratic donor, businessman and one-time presidential candidate Michael Bloomberg is urging the Democratic Party to take a step back and “take the pulse of voters” before determining “who is best positioned to win in November,” saying “the decision is too important to rush.”

“Democrats now have a chance for a fresh new start, and while some elected leaders and party officials make their endorsements, there are still four weeks before the party’s more than 4,000 delegates convene in Chicago,” Bloomberg posted Monday on X.

“That is more than enough time for the party to take the pulse of voters, especially in battleground states, to determine who is best positioned to win in November and lead the country over the next four years,” Bloomberg continued. “We don’t need to get a resolution right away, but we do need to get it right. The decision is too important to rush, because the election is too important to lose.”

Bloomberg also praised President Joe Biden for stepping down, calling it “an act of selflessness that only a great patriot would do.”

-ABC News’ Peter Charalambous and Soorin Kim

Harris lauds Biden’s ‘unmatched’ legacy in 1st appearance since Biden’s announcement

Vice President Kamala Harris on Monday is making her first public appearance since Biden dropped out of the 2024 race and endorsed her.

Harris is giving remarks at an event celebrating the NCAA championship teams Monday morning on the South Lawn of the White House. She is filling in for Biden, who is recovering from COVID.

“I wanted to say a few words about our president. Joe Biden’s legacy of accomplishment over the past three years is unmatched in modern history,” Harris said at the top of her statement. “In one term, he has already surpassed the legacy of most presidents who have served two terms in office.”

Harris didn’t specifically address her own candidacy, but said she was grateful for Biden’s service to the country.

“I am firsthand witness that every day our president, Joe Biden, fights for American people. And we are deeply, deeply grateful for his service to our nation,” she said.

-ABC News’ Sarah Beth Hensley

Former VP Mike Pence: ‘Biden made the right decision for our country’

Former Vice President Mike Pence’s commented on the end of Biden’s reelection bid on Monday morning, praising the president and pushing for national unity.

“President Joe Biden made the right decision for our country and I thank him for putting the interests of our Nation ahead of his own,” Pence wrote in a statement on X.

“After the assassination attempt on President Trump and President Biden’s decision to end his campaign, now is a time for leaders in both parties to project calm and send a message of strength and resolve to America’s friends and enemies alike that, whatever the state of our politics, the American people are strong and our American military stands ready to defend our freedom and our vital national interests anywhere in the world,” Pence said.

He made mo mention of Harris in the post.

-ABC News’ Brittany Shepherd

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer endorses Harris

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer was the final holdout of potential Biden replacements to throw her support behind the vice president.

“Today I am fired up to endorse Kamala Harris for the President of the United States,” Whitmer posted to X on Monday.

-ABC News’ Isabella Murray

Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker endorses Harris

Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker backed Harris on Monday.

“I am proud to endorse Vice President @KamalaHarris for President of the United States,” he wrote in a post on X.

Pritzker is one of the final potential Biden replacements to throw is support behind the vice president.

-ABC News’ Isabella Murrary

Gov. Tim Walz endorses Harris

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, who is also the co-chair of the DNC’s rules committee and the chair of the Democratic Governors Association, voiced his support for Kamala Harris in an X post on Monday.

“Thanks for the call, @KamalaHarris. You have my full support,” Walz wrote. “Let’s go win this thing.”

Sen. Durbin endorses Harris

Sen. Dick Durbin, the Senate’s No. 2 Democrat, publicly endorsed Harris Monday morning.

“I’m proud to endorse my former Senate colleague and good friend, Vice President Kamala Harris. Our nation needs to continue moving forward with unity and not MAGA chaos,” Durbin wrote in a statement.

“Vice President Harris was a critical partner in building the Biden record over the past four years. Count me in with Kamala Harris for President,” Durbin added.

-ABC New’s Allison Pecorin

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore endorses Harris

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore endorsed Harris for the top of the Democratic ticket on Monday.

In a post on X, Moore said “Today, I am proud to voice my full support and offer my full endorsement to Vice President @KamalaHarris to be the Democratic Nominee for President of the United States.”

The governor, a Democrat, issued a statement on Sunday praising Biden for his decades of service.

“President Biden has dedicated his life and career to serving the American people,” Moore wrote. “His legacy of hard work, dedication, optimism, and strength have shaped the trajectory of our nation — and made us better as a people and as a country.”

-Tommy Barone and Sarah Beth Hensley

Manchin says he will not be running for the Democratic nomination

Independent Sen. Joe Manchin, who sources had told ABC News was considering re-registering as a Democrat to run for the presidential nomination, said on Monday he is not going to be campaigning to be atop the ticket in November.

“Let me make it very clear to you, Tony: I am not going to be a candidate for president, I am a candidate for basically speaking for the middle of this country,” Manchin said on CBS This Morning.

“I am not running for office, I could not believe that there was not going to be a primary process or a mini process. I don’t need that as far as in my life, the attention that people think ‘oh, when you speak up you’re looking for attention.’ Why is everybody afraid to speak up?” Manchin said.

Instead, Manchin said he was advocating for a “process” for selecting a “new generation” of leadership.

“I think a lot of people would like to see a mini primary — that’s the process,” he said.

-ABC News’ Allison Pecorin

Harris could make 2024 ‘very close race,’ Christie says

Vice President Kamala Harris, who is now frontrunner for the Democratic presidential nomination, has a good chance of making “this a very close race” against former President Donald Trump, former Gov. Chris Christie said Monday.

“Eight years ago, [Trump] ran against a woman for president. When he did, Hillary Clinton was a more known quantity and, quite frankly, was disliked by a lot of voters,” Christie said on ABC News’ Good Morning America on Monday. “Kamala Harris is not personally disliked.”

He added, “There’s a question of respect and whether they respect her or not. And that’s going to be in her control now. If she performs well she’ll make this a very close race.”

A decision about Harris’ vice presidential running mate will be closely watched, he said, adding that choosing Gov. Josh Shapiro could deliver his home state of Pennsylvania, which “allows them to play in Michigan, Wisconsin, Arizona.”

Christie, who faced Donald Trump as a presidential candidate in the 2016 race, has become an outspoken critic of the former president. He had previously said a second Trump term would amount to a “vendetta presidency.”

“And I think he will use the levers of government to punish the people who he believes have been disloyal to him or to his approach,” Christie told ABC News earlier this year.

Christie was joined Monday on GMA by Democratic strategist and former DNC Chair Donna Brazile, who vowed the convention would have a “transparent process.”

“We’re going to continue to get the endorsements and, hopefully, at some point today or tomorrow the vice president will have enough delegates to secure the nomination,” she said.

-ABC News’ Kevin Shalvey

1 hour and 37 minutes ago
Harris raises about $50 million after Biden endorsement, campaign says

In the hours since President Joe Biden endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris on Sunday afternoon, she has collected $49.6 million in grassroots donations, the campaign said.

-ABC News’ Rick Klein

3 hours and 30 minutes ago
Win With Black Women raises $1.5 million for Harris

More than 45,000 people gathered late Sunday on a Zoom call organized by Win With Black Women to support Vice President Kamala Harris’ campaign.

The group said it raised over $1,500,000 in about 100 minutes.

The call was led by the group’s founder, Jotaka Eaddy, and included lawyer Star Jones, Rep. Joyce Beatty and Shavon Arline-Bradley, the president and chief executive of National Council of Negro Women. Guests such as actor Jenifer Lewis and Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority President Danette Anthony Reed chimed in with words of encouragement and wisdom.

Even after 1 a.m. on Monday, people continued trying to join the call, and donations kept pouring in. Zoom lifted the capacity limit to allow more people to join the call.

“Don’t you ever lose faith in Black women,” said Dr. Johnnetta B. Cole, a former president of Spelman College.

-ABC News’ Katrina J. Davis

1:55 AM EDT
Harris called over 100 party leaders after endorsement

Vice President Kamala Harris on Sunday morning had multiple phone conversations with President Joe Biden before he announced that he would not be seeking reelection and would instead endorse her, according to a source familiar with her schedule.

Surrounded by family and staff at the vice president’s residence, Harris spent more than 10 hours placing calls to over 100 party leaders, members of Congress, governors, labor leaders and leaders of advocacy and civil rights organizations. On each of those calls, Harris made clear that she was extremely grateful for the president’s endorsement but plans to work hard to earn the Democratic nomination in her own right, the source said.

One of the calls was to her pastor, Amos Brown III, who, along with his wife, prayed over her, according to the source.

The vice president wore a hooded Howard University sweatshirt, workout sweats and sneakers throughout the day. Amid the many calls, she took time to arrange both lunch and dinner for the assembled aides. The menu was salad and sandwiches for lunch and pizza and salad for dinner. Harris’ pizza came with anchovies, her go-to topping, the source said.

-ABC News’ Gabriella Abdul-Hakim, Fritz Farrow and Will McDuffie

12:32 AM EDT
DNC rules committee to meet Wednesday

The Democratic National Committee’s next rules committee meeting will be at 2:00 – 5:00 p.m. ET on Wednesday, July 24, a source told ABC News. The meeting will be public and available on the DNC’s YouTube page.

The co-chairs announced Sunday that following the President’s decision, it is now the committee’s responsibility to implement a framework to select a new nominee, which will be open, transparent, fair and orderly.

The co-chairs announced that the process presented for consideration will be comprehensive and expeditious.

-ABC News’ Gabriella Abdul-Hakim

12:32 AM EDT
DNC rules committee to meet Wednesday

The Democratic National Committee’s next rules committee meeting will be at 2:00 – 5:00 p.m. ET on Wednesday, July 24, a source told ABC News. The meeting will be public and available on the DNC’s YouTube page.

The co-chairs announced Sunday that following the President’s decision, it is now the committee’s responsibility to implement a framework to select a new nominee, which will be open, transparent, fair and orderly.

The co-chairs announced that the process presented for consideration will be comprehensive and expeditious.

-ABC News’ Gabriella Abdul-Hakim

11:31 PM EDT
DNC leaders tell members to expect ‘next steps’ regarding nomination in ‘coming days’

Democratic National Committee Chair Jamie Harrison and Minyon Moore, the DNC convention chair, just sent members a note, obtained by ABC News, saying guidance on the formal nomination process following President Joe Biden’s exit from the race will arrive “in the coming days.”

“While this situation is unprecedented, the DNC is ready to undertake a transparent and orderly process to move forward as a united Democratic Party and select a nominee,” they said in their message. “This process will be governed by rules and procedures of our Party, and we know that all of you are ready to take your responsibility seriously to swiftly nominate a candidate who will defeat Donald Trump in November. In the coming days, you will hear more from us on the next steps to formally select our nominee. As we move forward, our values as Democrats will remain the same – protecting our basic freedoms, fighting for working families, and saving our democracy from the threat of dictatorship.”

The pair said the DNC will “honor” Biden’s “legacy with a firm commitment to nominating and electing a Democratic president this November” who will continue the strides he has made as president.

As of Friday, Democrats planned to continue their virtual nomination process to ensure that Biden and Harris were on the ballot in all 50 states. That was, of course, before Biden made his announcement on Sunday afternoon.

-ABC News’ Brittany Shepherd

11:13 PM EDT
UAW calls Harris an ‘ally’; will decide ‘next steps’ in ‘coming days’

The United Auto Workers Union has reacted to the news that President Joe Biden has endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris for president.

While calling Harris an “ally,” the UAW spokesperson stopped short of offering an endorsement, noting its board will meet soon.

In a statement to ABC News, a UAW spokesperson said, “Our UAW International Executive Board, elected by the membership of the UAW, will meet in the coming days to decide our next steps. Vice President Harris has been an ally and a champion for the UAW and the whole working class, and we’re excited to defeat Donald Trump and the billionaire class at the ballot box this November.”

The UAW had endorsed Biden for president earlier this year.

-ABC News’ Briana K. Stewart

10:22 PM EDT
Democrats say they’ve raised $46.7M: ‘Biggest fundraising day of the 2024 cycle’

Barely two hours after announcing it had raised $27.5 million following President Joe Biden’s exit from the presidential race and endorsement of Kamala Harris for president, ActBlue says it has now processed $46.7 million in donations.

“UPDATE: As of 9pm ET, grassroots supporters have raised $46.7 million through ActBlue following Vice President Kamala Harris’ campaign launch,” the small-dollar donor fundraising platform said in a statement. “This has been the biggest fundraising day of the 2024 cycle. Small-dollar donors are fired up and ready to take on this election.”

-ABC News’ Gabriella Abdul-Hakim

9:46 PM EDT
Kamala Harris’ husband Doug Emhoff praises Biden as a ‘true patriot’

Vice President Kamala Harris’ husband, second gentleman Doug Emhoff, commented for the first time Sunday night since President Joe Biden announced his decision to drop out of the 2024 race.

“President Biden is a true patriot who leads our nation with honesty, decency, and integrity,” Emhoff wrote in a post on X.

Praising Biden’s work with Harris, Emhoff said, “They have fought tirelessly for families and communities, delivering for Americans across our nation.”

“I am so proud of their accomplishments and thankful for their leadership,” he added.

9:06 PM EDT
Would Trump debate Kamala Harris? RNC chairperson weighs in

After President Joe Biden ended his bid for reelection and endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris Sunday, many have begun to wonder how the remainder of the 2024 race will unfold — including the upcoming presidential debate in September, hosted by ABC News.

Michael Whatley, Republican National Committee chairperson, told ABC News’ David Muir that the former president has said “he would accept a debate anywhere, anytime, anyplace.”

Now that Biden is out of the race, Chairperson of the RNC Michael Whatley says they still welcome a second debate with “Kamala Harris or anybody else.”

Whatley said Trump would have to make the official confirmation of the debate, however, he said, “We’ve made it very clear that we welcome that debate.”

“We want to talk about the contrast between the Biden-Harris agenda and Donald Trump’s agenda where he is going to unite America and lead us into a bolder future,” Whatley said.

9:06 PM EDT
Former Gov. Chris Christie says Harris candidacy ‘absolutely changes the race’

Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie told ABC News’ David Muir Sunday night that Kamala Harris’ entry into the presidential race will have a big impact.

“Look, this absolutely changes the race, David. I think anybody who says this doesn’t change the race doesn’t understand politics,” Christie said. “But here’s the big question, ‘How does it change the race?’ And none of us know that [answer] yet. And the reason we don’t is because that’s going to depend almost exclusively on the performance of these two candidates now.”

Christie, who ran for the 2024 GOP nomination for president but dropped out during the primaries, said running for president is different than campaigning for vice president.

“[S]he’s going to be under a different level of scrutiny, a different level of pressure, and there’s a different expectation level for her than there has been before,” Christie said. “So how does she perform, and how does Donald Trump change his approach? He’s now not running against 81-year-old Joe Biden. He’s running against a much younger woman. And that’s going to change the dynamic, too.”

Christie said Trump will need to change his tone with Harris coming to the fore.

“Look, when I ran the first time for governor, David, I ran against an incumbent, democratic male. When I ran for reelection, I ran against a woman. And the pace of that race and the way you conduct yourself as a male candidate [against] the female candidate has to have a bit of a different tone to it,” Christie said. “The question for me is going to be, ‘Can Donald Trump adjust to that, and how will he react to this new dynamic? So, we’re to see some very interesting developments over the course of the next number of weeks.”

-ABC News’ Jolie Lash

8:42 PM EDT
Sen. Elizabeth Warren endorses Kamala Harris in 2024 presidential race

Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., released a video testimonial on X Sunday explaining why she’s backing Vice President Kamala Harris as the new Democratic nominee.

“She is ready to step up, bring our party together, go toe to toe with Donald Trump and win in November,” Warren said in the video, in which she speaks directly to the camera.

“Kamala has been a ferocious warrior on the issue of abortion and under Kamala’s leadership we are going to get Roe V. Wade back into the law of the land,” Warren said.

“When you’re up against a convicted felon who better than a former prosecutor to take it straight to Donald Trump,” she continued. “I’m here for Kamala because Kamala has been here for the American people year after year after year.”

-ABC News’ Allison Pecorin

8:34 PM EDT
Major Biden donor says he won’t fundraise for Harris if she’s nominee

In an interview with ABC News on Sunday night, major Biden donor and supporter John Morgan said that if Vice President Kamala Harris is the nominee, he won’t fundraise for the Democratic ticket.

“It’s one thing to vote for somebody; it’s another thing to raise millions of dollars for somebody; you have to really be in,” Morgan, a high-profile Florida lawyer, told ABC News.

Morgan, who says he’s a “Biden/Manchin type Dem,” told ABC News he was all in on Biden but felt Harris would be too far left and lose in November.

“If Trump World could pick anybody to run against, I think they pick her,” he said.

Morgan told ABC News he had already informed the Biden National Finance Committee that he was resigning from his fundraising efforts after Biden endorsed Harris.

“If she’s a nominee, Mar a Lago has a real big party that night,” he added.

-ABC News’ Will Steakin

8:37 PM EDT
Pro-Trump super PAC spent $30 million on ads attacking Biden

Pro-Trump super PAC Make America Great Again spent $30 million on ads attacking President Joe Biden this election cycle, Federal Election Commission records show.

The super PAC has also spent $18 million supporting former President Donald Trump.

It’s unclear how much the Trump campaign, which is a separate entity from the super PAC, spent on ads specifically attacking Biden, as the campaign doesn’t disclose that information.

The Trump campaign has sparingly placed television ads since the primary season.

-ABC News’ Soo Rin Kim, Lalee Ibassa and Kelsey Walsh

8:27 PM EDT
Democratic strategist Brazile says Manchin reached out to ‘inquire’ after Biden dropped out of race

Former Democratic National Committee Chairwoman Donna Brazile told ABC News’ David Muir on Sunday night that Joe Manchin, the independent senator from West Virginia, had reached out to “inquire about the news” of President Joe Biden’s exit from the presidential race.

Two sources told ABC News earlier Sunday that Manchin was considering reregistering as a Democrat to run against Vice President Kamala Harris for the presidential nomination.

In the interview, Brazile also said the DNC is committed to the virtual roll call that would wrap up by Aug. 7 — more than a week before the convention starts.

-ABC News’ Rick Klein

8:13 PM EDT
Biden, family feeling ‘sense of relief,’ source says

In conversations with people in and close to the Biden family on Sunday night, one word keeps reemerging: relief.

“For the people who love Joe, who are closest to Joe … there is a sense of relief,” a person close to the family told ABC News.

The news cycle of the past few weeks has clearly taken a toll on those in the president’s orbit. Watching allies turn on him and the news media scrutinize his every move has been a “painful” experience for Biden, sources said.

Before making his announcement on Sunday morning, the president told his brother, James Biden, and sister, Valerie Biden Owens, that he planned to step out of the race and endorse Kamala Harris, another source said.

Biden’s two siblings — who have been by his side since his first campaign more than 50 years ago — did not try to persuade him to stick it out, the source added.

-ABC News’ Lucien Bruggeman

10:18 PM EDT
Democrats raise $27.5 million following Biden exit, Harris endorsement

ActBlue, the small-dollar donor fundraising platform the Biden-Harris campaign uses, said it has raised more than $27.5 million in the first five hours since President Joe Biden dropped out and endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris.

-ABC News’ Gabriella Abdul-Hakim

7:51 PM EDT
Harris already working the phones on presidential campaign: Source

Vice President Kamala Harris has already hit the ground running on her presidential campaign, working the phones to shore up support and fundraising off the announcement, a source told ABC News.

The source says there are currently no changes to her expected travel plans for the coming week, which were determined prior to President Joe Biden dropping out of the race.

She’s expected to travel to Milwaukee on Tuesday, July 23, to deliver remarks at a political event.

On Wednesday, she’s expected to travel to Indianapolis, Indiana, to deliver remarks at the Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Inc.’s Grand Boulé.

-ABC News’ Selina Wang

7:45 PM EDT
California Gov. Gavin Newsom has thrown his support behind Harris

California Gov. Gavin Newsom has thrown his support behind Vice President Kamala Harris for Democratic nominee for president.

“Tough. Fearless. Tenacious,” Newsom wrote in a post on X about the former California senator and attorney general.

“With our democracy at stake and our future on the line, no one is better to prosecute the case against Donald Trump’s dark vision and guide our country in a healthier direction than America’s Vice President, @KamalaHarris,” he added.

-ABC News’ Fritz Farrow

7:39 PM EDT
Harris spoke with Gov. Shapiro, House Minority Leader Jeffries

Harris on Sunday spoke with Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, whose name has come up as a possible vice-presidential pick, a person familiar with the conversation confirmed to ABC News.

The source noted that Harris also spoke with House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries on Sunday.

-ABC News’ Fritz Farrow

7:29 PM EDT
Sen. Manchin considering reregistering as Democrat, running against Harris: Sources

Independent Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia is considering reregistering as a Democrat to run against Vice President Kamala Harris for the presidential nomination, two sources with knowledge of his decision told ABC News.

The development comes hours after Manchin said he would not run if Biden dropped out of the race.

“No, I want to support a new generation,” Manchin told CNN’s Jake Tapper on “State of the Union” Sunday.

-ABC News’ Rachel Scott

7:19 PM EDT
Attorney General Garland, Sec. of State Blinken react to Biden’s announcement

Attorney General Merrick Garland and Secretary of State Antony Blinken addressed President Joe Biden’s decision not seek reelection, with both men sharing their respect for their commander in chief.

“From the beginning of his tenure, President Biden has made clear in both word and deed that he stands for the rule of law and for the Justice Department’s critical mission to protect the safety and the civil rights of everyone in our country,” Garland said in his statement. “I am grateful for his leadership and for the enormous respect he has shown for the 115,000 public servants of the Justice Department over the past three and a half years. As President Biden has noted, there is critical governing work to be done in the months ahead, and the Justice Department will continue to work tirelessly to uphold the rule of law, keep our country safe, and protect civil rights on behalf of the American people.”

Blinken called his time with Biden “the honor” of his life.

“It has been — and remains —the honor of my life to work for @POTUS for the past twenty-two years. He has restored U.S. leadership around the world and delivered historic accomplishments as President. I look forward to building on that record with him over the next six months,” Blinken said in a post on X.

7:19 PM EDT
DNC raising money off of Biden’s decision

In a message sent after President Joe Biden announced he would leave the presidential race and endorse Vice President Kamala Harris, the DNC asked supporters for small-dollar donations.

“In the coming days, the Party will undertake a transparent and orderly process to move forward as a united Democratic Party to defeat Donald Trump in November,” they wrote.

6:54 PM EDT
First Lady Jill Biden supported Joe in ‘whichever road he chose’

As President Joe Biden made the decision to step aside from his bid for reelection, he had the support of his wife, Jill.

The first lady’s communications director, Elizabeth Alexander, said Jill was “supportive of whatever road he chose” in the 2024 election.

“Down to the last hours of the decision only he could make, she was supportive of whatever road he chose,” Alexander said of Jill.

“She’s his biggest believer, champion, and always on his side, in that trusted way only a spouse of almost 50 years can be,” Alexander said.

7:35 PM EDT
Major AAPI, Black, Latino political groups endorse Kamala Harris for president

Several major political action committees representing AAPI, Black and Latino voters have endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris for president.

The AAPI Victory Fund, The Collective PAC and Latino Victory Fund all announced the endorsement on Sunday.

“We will fight with all of our might to make her the first South Asian and Black woman ever to serve as President of the United States,” spokespeople for the AAPI Victory Fund said in a statement.

6:28 PM EDT
RFK Jr. blasts Harris as a ‘war hawk’

Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. blasted Harris in a press conference on Sunday, criticizing her on everything from foreign policy to civil rights and her work as district attorney in California.

“I think, you know, Kamala Harris is the party of war. She is a war hawk — you know, the Democratic Party was always the peace party. Kamala Harris is a war hawk on Ukraine. She’s a war hawk on China,” he said.

Kennedy also accused Harris of having “one of the worst civil rights record of any public official,” calling her complicit in the “school-to-prison pipeline.”

-ABC News’ Will McDuffie

6:02 PM EDT
What pushed Biden to drop out of 2024 race?

President Joe Biden had been facing growing pressure from his own party to step aside from the 2024 race, despite his repeated assurances that he plans to stay in the race.

Pressure had mounted after his disastrous June debate with former President Donald Trump which left many within the Democratic Party questioning if he could win his reelection campaign. Before he made his announcement, at least 40 congressional lawmakers had publicly called on Biden to step aside.

Biden’s decision Sunday — which came as he recovers from COVID-19 — took members of his staff by surprise, despite his repeated assurances doing little to decrease public pressure for him to step down.

5:59 PM EDT
Biden spoke with Hakeem Jeffries and Chuck Schumer: Sources

President Joe Biden had conversations with the two top congressional Democrats Sunday as he ended his 2024 presidential campaign, sources told ABC News.

Biden spoke with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, sources said.

5:56 PM EDT
‘It is an honor to serve under Biden,’ Secretary of Homeland Security Mayorkas says

U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas weighed in on Biden’s decision to end his bid for reelection Sunday.

“Today and everyday, it is an honor to serve under POTUS Biden’s leadership,” Mayorkas said in a statement on X.

Mayorkas said he’s “extraordinarily proud” of the work the Department of Homeland Security has done to “secure our shores, skies, borders, and cyberspace; safeguard the American people from threats old and new; and advance our vital homeland security mission under the President’s leadership.”

Looking to the future of Biden’s tenure as president, Mayorkas said, “We will continue to use every minute of this administration to deliver for the American people.”

5:52 PM EDT
Anti-abortion rights groups bash Harris calling her ‘radically pro-abortion’

After Harris announced her intention to join the 2024 race for president, anti-abortion rights groups released a statement criticizing Harris’ support of abortion rights. National Right to Life, a major anti-abortion group, released a statement criticizing Harris, calling her “radically pro-abortion” after Harris announced she will be running for president.

“Kamala Harris is radically pro-abortion and sees the lives of precious unborn babies as expendable … She has toured the country pushing unlimited abortion and criticizing protective state laws that support women and their preborn children,” National Right to Life President Carol Tobias said in a statement.

Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America, which opposes access to abortion care, also accused her of refusing to support limits on access to abortion care.

“While Joe Biden has trouble saying the word abortion, Kamala Harris shouts it. In contrast, President Trump, JD Vance, and the GOP reject the Democrat attempt to impose abortion on-demand across all 50 states and support the right of states to place limits on abortion,” Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America President Marjorie Dannenfelser wrote in a statement.

5:49 PM EDT
Maryland Gov. Wes Moore thanks Biden for being ‘an exemplar of true leadership’

In a statement Sunday, Maryland Gov. Wes Moore praised Biden and thanked him for his decades of service.

“President Biden has dedicated his life and career to serving the American people,” Moore wrote. “His legacy of hard work, dedication, optimism, and strength have shaped the trajectory of our nation — and made us better as a people and as a country.”

“This is a man deeply in love with his family, his country, and the promise of America,” he wrote. “As a governor, I look to him as an exemplar of true leadership. As an American, I look to him as an embodiment of our shared values of freedom, decency, and patriotism.”

5:30 PM EDT
DNC changes its joint fundraising committees to Harris

The Democratic National Committee has filed an amendment to revise its joint fundraising committees, now named Harris Victory Fund and Harris Action Fund.

These committees, previously named Biden Victory Fund and Biden Action Fund, simply went through name changes and inherited the previous Biden-DNC joint fundraising committees’ cash on hand.

Harris Victory Fund had $40 million in cash on hand entering July and Harris Action Fund had $23 million in cash on hand.

-ABC News’ Soorin Kim

5:27 PM EDT
Harris makes calls after announcing she will seek the nomination

Over the last few hours since announcing she would seek the nomination for president, Vice President Kamala Harris has been making calls, a source told ABC News.

Harris has spoken with a range of Democratic officials, including congressional Democrats, governors, party officials and civil rights leaders, the source said.

-ABC News’ Molly Nagle

5:11 PM EDT
Michigan Rep. Debbie Dingell says it’s a ‘sad day’ after Biden’s exit

One of President Biden’s closest allies, Michigan Rep. Debbie Dingell, mourned the end of Biden’s presidential campaign while endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris on Sunday.

“I did endorse Kamala this afternoon because I believe Joe Biden has been a great President,” Dingell said during an interview on MSNBC.

“I think it is a sad day and the way much of this has played out with the knives that have been put in his back,” she said of Biden.

“If he is supporting Kamala Harris, that means that he thinks that she can do a good job and that is who I am supporting,” Dingell continued, adding, “This party needs to unify.”

5:07 PM EDT
Shock, heartbreak and relief among White House staffers

Upon learning President Joe Biden would end his race for a second term, White House staff members told ABC News how they’re feeling about the historic decision.

Staffers said emotions have been running high, and that — blindsided by the announcement — some had cried. One said he had been on his bike and nearly fell off when he heard the news.

Some said they felt shocked or heartbroken, but many expressed their relief.

“He made the right choice; acted in the best interest of the country,” one White House staff member said.

Others said they felt immense pride. “I will always be proud that I worked for him, and I think history will show him to be one of the greats,” one staffer said.

“Any Democratic president in the past 50-70 years would kill for some of the big wins Joe Biden has [gotten] across the finish line,” another said. “He is a good man and fierce defender of democracy.”

-ABC News’ MaryAlice Parks

4:59 PM EDT
Biden for President campaign files to change to Harris for President

The Biden for President campaign committee has just been changed to the Harris for President campaign committee, according to a new FEC filing.

Now Kamala Harris’ principal campaign committee, this campaign committee had nearly $96 million in cash on hand — and likely more scheduled to be transferred from its joint fundraising committees with the DNC.

-ABC News’ Soorin Kim

4:56 PM EDT
Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan says Biden should be ‘commended’ for exit from race

Larry Hogan, the former Maryland governor who is running for U.S. Senate, released a statement on X Sunday after President Biden ended his bid for reelection.

“I believe he made the right decision for his family and the country,” Hogan, a Republican, said of Biden, adding, “These are dangerous and unprecedented times. He should be commended for putting the country ahead of personal ambition.”

“The only way out of this cycle of chaos, divisiveness and dysfunction is to elect principled, common sense and experienced leaders who will focus on the day-to-day challenges facing Americans,” Hogan continued.

“We need less palace intrigue, less partisan nonsense, and more decisive action to solve the serious problems facing our nation,” Hogan said.

4:52 PM EDT
Trump donated $6,000 to Kamala Harris’s 2014 AG campaign

Then-businessman Donald Trump donated $6,000 to Kamala Harris’ 2014 California Attorney General reelection campaign, state campaign finance records show.

Trump initially donated $5,000 to Harris’s campaign in 2011, and donated another $1,000 to her campaign in 2013.

Ivanka Trump also donated $2,000 to Harris’s campaign in 2013.

-ABC News’ Soorin Kim, Lalee Ibssa and Kelsey Walsh

Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan says Biden should be ‘commended’ for exit from race

Larry Hogan, the former Maryland governor who is running for U.S. Senate, released a statement on X Sunday after President Biden ended his bid for reelection.

“I believe he made the right decision for his family and the country,” Hogan, a Republican, said of Biden, adding, “These are dangerous and unprecedented times. He should be commended for putting the country ahead of personal ambition.”

“The only way out of this cycle of chaos, divisiveness and dysfunction is to elect principled, common sense and experienced leaders who will focus on the day-to-day challenges facing Americans,” Hogan continued.

“We need less palace intrigue, less partisan nonsense, and more decisive action to solve the serious problems facing our nation,” Hogan said.

Trump donated $6,000 to Kamala Harris’s 2014 AG campaign

Then-businessman Donald Trump donated $6,000 to Kamala Harris’ 2014 California Attorney General reelection campaign, state campaign finance records show.

Trump initially donated $5,000 to Harris’s campaign in 2011, and donated another $1,000 to her campaign in 2013.

Ivanka Trump also donated $2,000 to Harris’s campaign in 2013.

Ad by pro-Trump PAC attacking Harris made days before Biden announcement

The attack ad put out on Sunday by a pro-Donald Trump PAC attacking Vice President Kamala Harris was made “days” before President Joe Biden announced his decision to drop out of the race, two sources familiar told ABC News.

One source describing the move as “just in case,” emphasizing how they had been preparing for this.

One source with the PAC told ABC News that they are viewing the switch from Biden to Harris as a “simple pivot” because Harris “owns all of Joe Biden’s failures.”

The plan is to frame Harris as a “co-conspirator” in Biden’s agenda — specifically on immigration, as the team has been reporting, the source said.

Vance says he and Trump ‘are ready to save America,’ tells Dems to ‘bring it on’

Former President Donald Trump’s running mate JD Vance reacted to President Joe Biden’s decision to drop out of the race, calling him “the worst president in my lifetime” and saying they are ready to take on Vice President Kamala Harris.

“Joe Biden has been the worst President in my lifetime and Kamala Harris has been right there with him every step of the way. Over the last four years she co-signed Biden’s open border and green scam policies that drove up the cost of housing and groceries. She owns all of these failures, and she lied for nearly four years about Biden’s mental capacity–saddling the nation with a president who can’t do the job,” Vance said in a statement on X.

“President Trump and I are ready to save America, whoever’s at the top of the Democrat ticket. Bring it on,” Vance said.

Kamala Harris begins fundraising for 2024 presidential campaign

After announcing her 2024 presidential campaign, Kamala Harris has put out a public call for fundraising.

“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. If you’re with me, add a donation right now,” Harris wrote on X Sunday.

The statement includes a photo with President Joe Biden, who endorsed Harris immediately following his exit from the race.

Christie says it is unlikely Democrats would challenge Harris

There are practical concerns that could dissuade other Democrats from challenging Vice President Kamala Harris’ campaign for president, former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, an ABC News contributor, told ABC News Live on Sunday.

“There are such practical concerns for the people who might be thinking about challenging the vice president. None of them have national campaigns organized, none of them have one state director in any one of the 50 states, none of them have a national fundraising operation,” Christie said.

“I think she’ll be able to inherit the money that is in the Biden-Harris campaign right now,” Christie said.

Christie added that anyone considering running will wonder if they will be able to beat a candidate who is a sitting vice president who has been endorsed by the sitting president.

“Most of the people who would be serious candidates, I think, quite frankly, they are going to look at this and say ‘I hope she picks me for No. 2’ and move on from there,” Christie said.

“I don’t think there is going to be any challenge to Kamala Harris,” Christie said.

Major Democratic donors endorse Vice President Kamala Harris

On the heels of President Biden’s departure from the 2024 presidential race Sunday, two major Democratic donors — Reid Hoffman and Alexander Soros — publicly endorsed Kamala Harris as the next candidate.

“The Democrats are the party of policy, progress, and action. When presented with the choice between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump, I believe in the American people to make the right decision for our country,” Hoffman wrote in a statement on X.

Hoffman cofounded professional networking site LinkedIn in 2003 and is a partner at venture capital firm Greylock Partners.

“The Biden-Harris administration has put this country on the right track. It’s time for us to unite. I wholeheartedly support Kamala Harris and her candidacy for President of the United States in our fight for democracy in November,” he continued.

Soros, one of five sons of billionaire George Soros, took to X to share a photo of himself with Harris, writing: “It’s time for us all to unite around Kamala Harris and beat Donald Trump. She is the best and most qualified candidate we have. Long live the American Dream! #Harris2024.”

DNC members circulate letter endorsing Harris

Sixty-three signatories had joined onto the letter, which was obtained by ABC News, as of early Sunday evening, but more signatures could be added.

“We are deeply grateful to President Biden and his family for their decades of service to our nation, including the decision he made today to pass the torch of the Democratic nomination and American democracy itself to a new generation of public servants. We strongly and enthusiastically endorse Vice President Kamala Harris — the candidate with the best experience and capacity to unite our Party and the United States — for the Democratic nomination for President of the United States. We ask that you join us,” they wrote.

Firefighters union on Biden’s exit: ‘Will forever be in his debt’

The International Association of Fire Fighters, which was the first union to back Joe Biden in the 2020 presidential election, released a statement on his decision to exit the 2024 race.

“Past, present, and future fire fighters are better off because of Joe Biden,” IAFF general president Edward A. Kelly said Sunday.

“For nearly 50 years, he has been a champion of the IAFF. His work has directly led to the hiring of tens of thousands of fire fighters, safety improvements in this most dangerous of jobs, and a nation that is now aware of the toxic threats we face every time we put on our gear,” Kelly said.

“And, when a fire fighter makes the ultimate sacrifice, President Biden’s work has ensured their families receive the benefits they deserve,” Kelly continued.

Kelly called Biden the “greatest President fire fighters and emergency medical workers have ever had.”

“Our membership – and the communities we serve – will forever be in his debt,” Kelly said.

Al Gore calls Biden an ‘exceptional leader,’ praises climate change action

Former Vice President Al Gore joined the chorus of Democratic leaders weighing in on President Biden’s decision to leave the 2024 presidential race on Sunday.

Praising Biden’s significant action toward climate change solutions, Gore said in a statement on X, “As President, Joe Biden has been — and is — an exceptional leader. He is responsible for developing and signing the most significant investment in climate solutions into law.”

“I know that he is not done delivering for the American people and will continue to serve this nation with wisdom and dignity in the coming months,” Gore continued, adding, “In paving the way for a new generation of leadership, President Biden’s decision is a fitting testament to his profoundly consequential career.”

“I applaud his selfless decision,” Gore wrote.

Harris thanks Biden for leadership, putting country first

In a statement announcing her candidacy for president, Vice President Kamala Harris thanked President Joe Biden for his “extraordinary leadership.”

“I thank Joe Biden for his extraordinary leadership as President of the United States and for his decades of service to our country. His remarkable legacy of accomplishment is unmatched in modern American history, surpassing the legacy of many Presidents who have served two terms in office,” Harris said.

“With this selfless and patriotic act, President Biden is doing what he has done throughout his life of service: putting the American people and our country above everything else,” Harris said.

Biden endorsed Harris after announcing his exit on Sunday, saying choosing her as his running mate in 2020 was the “best decision I’ve ever made.”

“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,” Harris said.

Former Wyoming Rep. Liz Cheney calls Biden’s decision ‘courageous’

In a post on X, former Wyoming Rep. Liz Cheney — a Republican and frequent critic of former President Donald Trump — praised Biden’s decision to leave the race as “courageous.”

“The framers of our Constitution knew that our republic would endure only if our presidents have the character and honor to put duty ahead of self interest,” Cheney wrote. “President Biden deserves our gratitude for his decades of service to our nation and for his courageous decision today.”

Nevada Sen. Jacky Rosen weighs in on Biden’s exit from 2024 race

Democratic Sen. Jacky Rosen, from the key battleground state of Nevada, shared a statement on President Biden departing from the 2024 election on Sunday.

“President Biden has served our country in public office with dignity and integrity for decades,” Rosen said, adding, “I thank President Biden for his leadership and respect his decision not to seek reelection.”

“There is still a lot more work to do on behalf of Nevadans to lower costs, create more opportunity, and defend our fundamental freedoms,” Rosen said.

Rosen noticeably did not endorse Vice President Kamala Harris in her statement Sunday.

Vice President Kamala Harris says she intends to seek nomination for president

Vice President Kamala Harris has announced she intends to run for president in 2024, hours after President Joe Biden said he will be dropping out of the race.

“I am honored to have the President’s endorsement and my intention is to earn and win this nomination,” Harris said in a statement Sunday.

“We have 107 days until Election Day. Together, we will fight. And together, we will win,” Harris said.

Planned Parenthood, pro-abortion rights groups cheer on Harris

Planned Parenthood and other pro-abortion rights groups are cheering on Vice President Kamala Harris, saying she will “fight like hell” for abortion rights. Harris has led the charge under Biden’s presidency with abortion rights, a major issue in the 2024 election.

“As we have navigated this public health crisis, Vice President Harris has kept the needs and experiences of patients and providers front and center. She’s the first Vice President to visit a Planned Parenthood health center — and we know that she will continue to fight like hell to rebuild a fundamental right that was stripped away,” Planned Parenthood said in a statement Sunday.

“President Biden and Vice President Harris’ record when it comes to protecting our reproductive freedoms and abortion access is unquestionable — these last two years, they have been the strongest, steadiest voice in the post-Dobbs storm,” Planned Parenthood said.

Biden told senior team one minute before announcement

President Joe Biden told his senior team that he had changed his mind about staying in the race one minute before going public, a source told ABC News.

Biden told his team at 1:45 pm on Sunday, and posted his announcement to the public at 1:46 pm, the source said.

As recently as Saturday night, according to the source, Biden’s message had still been “full speed ahead.”

Amy Klobuchar backs Kamala Harris

Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., told ABC News she is backing Vice President Kamala Harris for president in the 2024 election.

“I worked with her in the Senate for years and we became closer friends even when we ran against each other,” Klobuchar said.

Klobuchar said President Joe Biden chose “the honorable path” by dropping out.

“President Biden has served with integrity and delivered results that will strengthen our country for generations to come. He passed historic legislation investing in our infrastructure, manufacturing and lowering the cost of prescription drugs. I am deeply grateful for his service, dedication, and commitment to our country and our democracy,” Klobuchar said.

Democratic presidential candidate Marianne Williamson calls for open convention

Marianne Williamson is throwing her hat back in the 2024 presidential election ring after President Joe Biden exited the race Sunday.

“The nomination of a new Democratic candidate must be opened to a genuinely democratic process at an open convention,” Williamson told ABC News in a statement.

“No one should simply be anointed to the position of nominee; all candidates must be heard and their agendas explored,” Williamson said, seemingly referencing Biden’s endorsement of Vice President Kamala Harris.

“Our party’s basic first principle is democracy,” Williamson continued, adding, “We cannot save our democracy without practicing it ourselves.”

“I look forward to taking my message to the American people, and convincing Democratic delegates, that I am the best candidate to take us to victory in November,” Williamson said.

Obama lauds Biden as ‘a patriot of the highest order,’ no mention of Harris

In a statement, former President Barack Obama lauded President Joe Biden for his decades of service and decision to leave the race. He did not mention Vice President Kamala Harris in the statement.

“Joe Biden has been one of America’s most consequential presidents, as well as a dear friend and partner to me,” Obama wrote. “Today, we’ve also been reminded — again — that he’s a patriot of the highest order.”

Obama praised Biden’s “outstanding track record” in office and how he “has never backed down from a fight.”

“For him to look at the political landscape and decide that he should pass the torch to a new nominee is surely one of the toughest in his life. But I know he wouldn’t make this decision unless he believed it was right for America,” he wrote. “It’s a testament to Joe Biden’s love of country — and a historic example of a genuine public servant once again putting the interests of the American people ahead of his own that future generations of leaders will do well to follow.”

Obama said he has “extraordinary confidence that the leaders of our party will be able to create a process from which an outstanding nominee emerges.”

“For now, Michelle and I just want to express our love and gratitude to Joe and Jill for leading us so ably and courageously during these perilous times —  and for their commitment to the ideals of freedom and equality that this country was founded on,” he wrote.

Elizabeth Warren says Kamala Harris is ready take on Trump

Ahead of President Joe Biden’s announcement that he dropped out of the 2024 presidential election, Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., had voiced her support for Vice President Kamala Harris.

“If President Biden decides to step back, we have Vice President Kamala Harris, who is ready to step up, to unite the party, to take on Donald Trump, and to win in November,” Warren said.

Trump says next Democratic candidate will be ‘more of the same’

Former President Donald Trump is rallying against the Democratic Party Sunday, following the announcement President Joe Biden is leaving the 2024 race.

“Crooked Joe Biden is the Worst President, by far, in the History of our Nation. He has done everything possible to destroy our Country,” Trump said in a statement on TruthSocial.

“Whoever the Left puts up now will just be more of the same,” Trump continued.

Trump’s campaign also released a statement Sunday, calling out Vice President Kamala Harris by name, after Biden endorsed her as the next Democratic pick.

“Kamala Harris is just as much of joke as Biden is,” the campaign said, adding, “Harris will be even WORSE for the people of our Nation than Joe Biden. Harris has been the Enabler in Chief for Crooked Joe this entire time. They own each other’s records, and there is no distance between the two.”

Donors, delegates relieved Biden dropped out, but split on Harris

Democratic delegates and donors are say they are “relieved” and “thrilled” that President Biden has made the decision to step down, but they are divided on the best path forward.

“No one I know wants a coronation. In fact, Kamala will be stronger to go through a mini primary and we need to have an alternative or two,” one key donor told ABC News.

“We need to put best ticket together and let delegates vote,” the donor added. “Not sure it’ll happen but we are trying.”

Another delegate and donor told ABC News they are fully behind Harris.

“Now big donor money will start flowing again. His selfless act will save our republic,” a second donor said.

Biden and Harris spoke ahead of the president’s decision to leave 2024 race

President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris spoke on Sunday, ahead of Biden’s decision to end his bid for reelection and endorse Harris to be the next Democratic pick.

“Today I want to offer my full support and endorsement for Kamala to be the nominee of our party this year,” Biden wrote in a statement on X.

Sen. Cory Booker expresses ‘profound gratitude’ to Biden

In a statement on X, Sen. Cory Booker expressed his “profound gratitude” to Biden following news that he would end his reelection campaign.

“I cannot overstate the gravity of the noble and history-making decision that President Biden just made. The feeling that I have right now is one of profound gratitude,” Booker wrote. “I am grateful that Joe Biden has been a friend, the most dedicated of public servants, and an extraordinary president.”

“I am grateful that we have a president whose patriotism and love of country drove him to run and win against demagoguery in 2020, and who now, because of that same fierce love and devotion to his fellow Americans, has decided to be the bridge to a new generation of leaders,” he wrote.

Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer weighs in on Biden’s decision

Democratic Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer praised President Biden’s legacy and said he “put the country, his party, and our future first” with his decision Sunday.

“Joe, today shows you are a true patriot and great American,” he said.

Schumer’s statement comes days after sources told ABC News that Schumer privately urged Biden to drop out of the race.

Schumer had a blunt conversation with Biden, sources said, making the case it would be best if Biden dropped out of the 2024 presidential race.

Sen. Bernie Sanders says Biden has served with ‘honor and dignity’

Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders reacted to Biden’s decision to end his bid for reelection on Sunday.

“Joe Biden has served our country with honor and dignity,” Sanders wrote in a statement on X.

“As the first president to ever walk on a picket line with striking workers, he has been the most pro-working class president in modern American history,” Sanders continued.

Sanders ran against Biden for the Democratic nomination in the 2020 presidential race.

“Thank you, Mr. President, for all you’ve done,” Sanders wrote.

Biden ‘patriotic American who has always put our country first’: Pelosi

Former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi called President Joe Biden “a patriotic American who has always put our country first.”

“His legacy of vision, values and leadership make him one of the most consequential Presidents in American history. With love and gratitude to President Biden for always believing in the promise of America and giving people the opportunity to reach their fulfillment,” Pelosi said in a statement Sunday.

“God blessed America with Joe Biden’s greatness and goodness,” Pelosi said.

Bill and Hillary Clinton endorse Vice President Kamala Harris for president

Bill and Hillary Clinton endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris for president, saying in a statement that they would “fight with everything we’ve got” to elect her.

“We are honored to join the President in endorsing Vice President Harris and will do whatever we can to support her,” they wrote.

DNC Chair Jaime Harrison says party will announce next steps in nomination

Democratic National Committee Chair Jaime Harrison said the Democratic Party will be soon announcing next steps and the path forward for the nomination process for the 2024 presidential candidate.

“As we move forward to formally select our Party’s nominee, our values as Democrats remain the same — lowering costs, restoring freedom, protecting the rights of all people, and saving our democracy from the threat of dictatorship. We have and will continue to make this case to the American people,” Harrison said in a statement Sunday.

Harrison also thanked Biden for “the unparalleled progress he has delivered over the last four years.”

“We will honor that legacy, and the decision that he has made today, through a firm commitment to nominating and electing a Democratic president this November who will carry that torch into the next four years,” Harrison said.

Biden-Harris staff was caught off guard by decision to step down: Sources

Staff members who work for both President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris had no indication Biden had made his decision to step down from the 2024 race, sources told ABC News.

The administration’s staff was not aware, even as his letter was being distributed, sources said.

Pete Buttigieg commends Biden for prioritizing ‘what is best for our country’

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, who ran against Biden in 2020, commended President Biden’s decision to leave the race in a post on X.

“Joe Biden has earned his place among the best and most consequential presidents in American history,” he wrote. “I am so proud to serve under his leadership, and thankful for his unwavering focus on what is best for our country.”

Former DNC Chair Donna Brazile backs Harris, predicts she will be nominee

Former DNC Chair Donna Brazile is backing Vice President Kamala Harris in the 2024 election and predicted she would be the nominee, but left open the possibility of an open convention that would land her the nomination.

“Part A was Biden-Harris. Part B was Harris and her running mate. Part C would likely be an open convention” where Harris would likely prevail, Brazile, an ABC News contributor, told ABC News Live.

Harris has not yet said whether she will be running for president.

“She would be and is the strongest candidate,” Brazile said.

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer praises Biden as a ‘great public servant’

After Biden’s announcement that he would end his reelection campaign, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer praised him in a post on X.

“President Biden is a great public servant who knows better than anyone what it takes to defeat Donald Trump,” she wrote. “His remarkable work to lower prescription drug costs, fix the damn roads, bring supply chains home, address climate change, and ensure America’s global leadership over decades will go down in history.”

“My job in this election will remain the same: doing everything I can to elect Democrats and stop Donald Trump, a convicted felon whose agenda of raising families’ costs, banning abortion nationwide, and abusing the power of the White House to settle his own scores is completely wrong for Michigan,” she wrote.

‘A good day for the Democratic Party,’ Sen. Heitkamp says

Minutes after President Joe Biden announced he was stepping down from the 2024 presidential race, former North Dakota Sen. Heidi Heitkamp said that while she considers Biden an ally and a friend, Sunday is “a good day for the Democratic Party.”

Heitkamp called his decision “a sacrifice he is making for the country.”

“He has served this country so ably, it can’t have been easy,” Heitkamp said, in an interview on ABC News Live.

Biden endorses Vice President Kamala Harris

After announcing he would exit the 2024 race, President Joe Biden has endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris for president.

In a message on X, Biden called picking Harris as his running mate in 2020 the “best decision” he has made.

“My fellow Democrats, I have decided not to accept the nomination and to focus all my energies on my duties as President for the remainder of my term,” he wrote. “My very first decision as the party nominee in 2020 was to pick Kamala Harris as my Vice President. And it’s been the best decision I’ve made.”

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

Biden says he’ll ‘stand down’ from 2024 election

President Joe Biden has announced he is stepping down from the 2024 presidential race.

Biden made the announcement on Sunday, saying in a statement, “It has been the greatest honor of my life to serve as your President. 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 fulfilling my duties as President for the remainder of my term.”

The president said he will address the nation later this week with more details about his decision.
 

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