President Joe Biden announced on Sunday that he is dropping out of the 2024 presidential race. While he is no longer seeking reelection, Biden said he will finish his current term.
“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,” Biden said in a statement.
In a post on X, Biden endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris, urging Democrats to choose his former running mate as the new Democrat nominee.
“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. 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. Democrats — it’s time to come together and beat Trump. Let’s do this,” the president wrote.
The 46th president’s replacement will be selected in August by delegates at the Democratic National Convention. The DNC may run an open convention, during which delegates can vote for any candidate. A brokered convention is also possible, with delegates subjected to agreements “brokered” by state and local officials.
Biden’s decision to drop out of the 2024 presidential race comes after his disastrous debate performance against former President Donald Trump, which triggered widespread concern over the president’s mental and physical health.
