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Rep. Mark Takano, D-Riverside. | Photo courtesy of Mark Takano/X
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Rep. Mark Takano, D-Riverside, said Saturday that President Joe Biden should “pass the torch” to Vice President Kamala Harris, echoing an earlier call the congressman made for Biden to withdraw from the 2024 presidential campaign.
Biden has rejected calls from a number of Democrats in Congress to stop his reelection bid, dismissing concerns about his age and ability to endure the demands of a national campaign against Republican nominee and ex-President Donald Trump.
Recent reports have indicated Biden may be reconsidering his position amid pressure from top Democrats including former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and former President Barack Obama, as Biden isolates in Delaware after testing positive for COVID-19 this week.
“President Biden’s greatest accomplishment remains saving democracy in 2020. He can and must do so again in 2024 — by passing the torch to Vice President Harris as the Democratic Party Presidential nominee,” Takano posted on social media Saturday.
“It has become clear to me that the demands of a modern campaign are now best met by the Vice President, who can seamlessly transition into the role of our party’s standard bearer.
“The daughter of immigrants, a proud HBCU graduate, a tenacious prosecutor, and now the Vice President of the United States, Kamala Harris is ready for this moment. She has been an invaluable governing partner to the President and can run on their many shared achievements on behalf of the American people,” Takano continued. “Vice President Harris has the message, resources, and experience to defeat Donald Trump and safeguard our Republic.
“Joe, I love and respect you. But the stakes are too high to fail. It’s time to pass the torch to Kamala.”
Takano, a 63-year-old Riverside native and the ranking member of the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, initially called on Biden to suspend his reelection campaign July 7.
Takano has served in the House since 2013 and represents the 39th Congressional District, which includes sections of Riverside, Jurupa Valley, Moreno Valley and Perris.
If Biden decides to drop out of the race, Democrats would likely divide into factions backing Harris and others who support an open competition for the party’s nomination at the Democratic National Convention, scheduled for Aug. 19-22 in Chicago.
