MOSCOW, July 22. /TASS/. Standing US President Joe Biden has announced that he will not seek re-election as head of state, and has endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris as the Democratic Party’s candidate in the upcoming presidential election.
Republican candidate Donald Trump did not waste any time chiming in on the news, dismissing Harris as a serious challenger in the November election, and calling on Biden to resign from the presidency as well.
TASS has compiled some basic information about the situation after Biden's withdrawal.
Biden withdraws from presidential race
On Sunday, Joe Biden officially dropped out of the presidential race. He also backed Vice President Kamala Harris to replace him on the Democratic ticket. At the same time, Biden emphasized that he does not intend to resign as president.
According to the Politico newspaper, Biden was persuaded by two of his closest advisers, Mike Donilon and Steven Ricchetti, to drop out of the race. They brought to the attention of the incumbent president the concerns of his fellow party members about his ability to win re-election, reported on the decline in campaign donations, and presented the results of public opinion polls, which showed that "he has no chance of winning in November."
Meanwhile, CNN said, citing a US official, that Biden's withdrawal was not related to any health problems.
‘Harris for President’
Biden's campaign headquarters quickly recalibrated following his announcement, as the slogan "Harris for President" will now be its moniker.
Politico said that by Sunday evening, at least 26 Democratic US senators and 72 members of the US House of Representatives had endorsed Harris' nomination as the party’s presidential candidate. In addition, a number of US governors, including from New Jersey, New York, California, Michigan, and Pennsylvania, have voiced their support for Harris.
Harris' campaign headquarters has already collected more than $55 million in donations, Politico reported, citing data from ActBlue, a Democratic fundraising platform.
In the first five hours after Biden's withdrawal from the race, Harris' campaign managed to raise $27.5 million. Politico previously reported that all $95 million in donations that Biden had raised up to the end of June would go to Harris' campaign. The Washington Examiner said that the funds would have to be reimbursed to donors if a politician other than Harris becomes the party's nominee.
Voting on the nomination of US Vice President Kamala Harris as the Democratic nominee is expected to take place on August 1, CBS journalist Ed O'Keefe reported. Thus, Harris' candidacy may be approved ahead of the party's national convention in Chicago (Illinois) on August 19-22. Accordingly, those who oppose her nomination have only ten days to say "no," O'Keefe explained.
Politico emphasized that a number of US officials and Democratic donors are urging independent Senator Joe Manchin (from West Virginia), who left the Democratic Party in May 2024, to return to the party and seek nomination in the presidential election. At the same time, Reuters reported, citing sources, that the "heads of regional headquarters" of the US Democratic Party in all 50 states supported the nomination of Harris.
Reaction in US
Commenting on Biden's withdrawal from the race, former US President Donald Trump said that he thought he was the worst president in the history of the US, adding that he would have no trouble defeating Kamala Harris. Trump also said that Biden is not fit to lead the country if he cannot run for the presidency.
The Republican National Committee released a statement emphasizing that Harris and Biden are destroying the country. According to it, Harris has no business running in the election. The GOP accused her of helping Biden hide his failing health while in office, undermining her credibility.
Member of the US House of Representatives Nancy Mace (a Republican from the state of South Carolina) intends to introduce a resolution demanding the transfer of presidential powers from Biden to Harris.
Moscow's reaction
For three and a half years, Biden repeatedly made "incomprehensible" decisions that led to the world crisis in connection with the situation around Ukraine, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said.
Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov, meanwhile, decided to take a wait-and-see approach, saying that there were four months left before the US election and that "a lot can still change."