‘He deserves our gratitude.’ PA officials react to Biden’s exit from presidential race
Soon after President Joe Biden announced Sunday he’s withdrawing from the 2024 presidential race, Pennsylvania elected officials responded to the news, with Democrats praising his years of public service.
Gov. Josh Shapiro, a Democrat who has been mentioned as a possible running mate if Vice President Kamala Harris becomes the Democratic nominee, called Biden a “patriot” and “one of the most consequential presidents in modern history” in a post on the social media platform X, formerly Twitter.
“President Biden has gotten an incredible amount done to move our country forward, defend our democracy, and protect real freedom,” Shapiro wrote. “I am proud to work by his side and am grateful for his leadership and his unwavering commitment to delivering for Pennsylvania — the Commonwealth that raised him.”
Sen. Bob Casey, D-Pa., echoed the gratitude for Biden’s “exemplary career in public service.”
“President Biden has always dedicated himself to improving the lives of Americans,” Casey wrote on X. “He deserves our gratitude for his historic achievements, including rebuilding our economy after the pandemic and delivering the largest infrastructure investment in modern history.”
Biden’s decision — announced in a Sunday statement — follows weeks of speculation and calls from within his own party to exit from the race. A late June debate with former President Donald Trump raised questions about the president’s age, health and electability.
“It has been the greatest honor of my life to serve as your President,” Biden said in the statement. “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 focus solely on fulfilling my duties as President for the remainder of my term.”
State Rep. Paul Takac, D-College Township, said in a statement that Biden’s decision “demonstrates his tremendous personal strength and selfless leadership.”
“President Biden’s influence and impact will be felt for generations to come. Over the past four years, he not only helped restore America’s standing in the world but led us back from a badly mismanaged pandemic and historic threats to our democracy. And in a highly partisan and divided Congress, he successfully championed both the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act, which make transformational investments that will ensure a brighter future for us all.
“But it is clear that the existential threats to our rights and freedoms have never been more grave. Now is the time to follow our President’s lead and to come together in defense of our democracy and our future.”
In a second statement issued Sunday, Biden endorsed Harris as the Democratic nominee for president in 2024.
On X, State College Mayor Ezra Nanes, who is a delegate to the Democratic National Convention, shared a photo of himself with Harris and Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff and wrote that he joins Biden in endorsing Harris as the party’s nominee.
Casey and Shapiro also put their support behind Harris.
While some Republicans were swift Sunday to criticize Harris as the potential nominee, U.S. Rep. Glenn “GT” Thompson, R-Howard, did not address her in a written statement.
“I was surprised to learn that President Biden has ended his campaign, pushed out under the pressure of Democratic Party elites, alongside vulnerable House Members and Senators, who saw risk to their own political futures by being tied to an executive who is clearly not up to the task,” Thompson said.
This story was originally published July 21, 2024 at 4:24 PM.
