SoCal officials react to Biden quitting presidential campaign

Elected officials from Southern California issued statements Sunday on the decision by President Joe Biden to end his reelection campaign.

Biden and a number of local leaders said they support Vice President Kamala Harris to step into the top spot on the presidential ticket.

“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,” Biden said in a statement Sunday, adding that he would address the nation this week and provide more details on his decision to leave the presidential race.

“For now, let me express my deepest gratitude to all those who have worked so hard to see me reelected,” Biden said. “I want to thank Vice President Kamala Harris for being an extraordinary partner in all this work. And let me express my heartfelt appreciation to the American people for the faith and trust you have placed in me.

“I believe today what I always have: that there is nothing America can’t do — when we do it together. We just have to remember we are the United States of America.”

About a half-hour after his announcement, Biden posted a statement endorsing Harris for president.

“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,” Biden said. “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.”

Harris, a Brentwood resident and ex-California attorney general and U.S. senator, said in a statement Sunday afternoon: “On behalf of the American people, 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. It is a profound honor to serve as his Vice President, and I am deeply grateful to the President, Dr. Biden, and the entire Biden family. …

“I am honored to have the President’s endorsement and my intention is to earn and win this nomination,” she continued. “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. We have 107 days until Election Day. Together, we will fight. And together, we will win.”

Until his change of course on Sunday, Biden dismissed calls from Democrats in Congress to quit the presidential campaign because of concerns about his age and fitness to run against Republican nominee and former President Donald Trump. Biden’s announcement followed a coronavirus diagnosis on Wednesday.

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, who according to published reports was on Biden’s short list of candidates for vice president in 2020 when she was a House member, endorsed Harris hours after the president’s announcement to withdraw from the race. In the same announcement Biden endorsed Harris, who in 2022 administered the oath of office to Bass when she was sworn in as mayor.

“Vice President Harris leads with strength, courage, and compassion,” Bass said. “She has been an invaluable ally in our work to improve LA’s economy, safety and infrastructure, and in our work to house Angelenos.

“She has always been there for Los Angeles, going back long before she was elected Vice President,” Bass continued. “When I served in Congress and she was our Senator, we worked closely together on violence prevention and criminal justice reforms. When she was Attorney General during the housing crisis, she helped prevent thousands of people from losing their homes by securing billions of dollars in a historic settlement for California families. She also worked to protect the environment while ensuring good-paying union jobs were available for Angelenos. …

“California is stronger because of her work as Attorney General and Senator. America is stronger because of her work as Vice President. I am proud to endorse Vice President Harris to be the next President of the United States and call on all Democrats to join me in doing everything possible to help her win this election,” Bass said.

Prior to the joint endorsement statement Sunday, the mayor praised Biden, describing him as “one of the most successful and consequential Presidents in American history — and Angelenos have benefited directly from his leadership.

“His partnership was essential in unsheltered homelessness in Los Angeles decreasing for the first time in years,” Bass said. “He has helped provide Angelenos with health care, lower prescription drug costs, stronger infrastructure, an expanded public transportation system, and a greener Los Angeles. Just this week, we celebrated more than $70 million in federal investments to expand LA Metro’s electric bus fleet as we prepare to host the Olympic and Paralympic Games.”

A number of Southern California Democrats and Republicans issued prepared statements on Biden’s withdrawal from the campaign.

“From the first time Vice President Biden called me when my mother passed in 2011, to my experience working with Congress, I’ve seen nothing but a man who is kind, compassionate, and always puts people and his country first,” Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn said. “We thank him for his decades of public service and joining with all of us as we make sure our democratic values win in November.”

LA County Board of Supervisors Chair Lindsey Horvath said on social media that Biden “has again demonstrated tremendous leadership by prioritizing the American people. I am grateful for the care he has shown to our country, strengthening our economy, protecting our environment and advancing justice. We’ll never forget his strength and selflessness.”

Supervisor Hilda Solis said Biden’s “legacy is dominated by equity and equality — from his commitment to delivering affordable healthcare, fighting for social justice, strengthening environmental protection, and protecting women’s reproductive rights, to curbing the public-health scourge of gun violence, investing in America’s future, addressing income inequality and combatting climate change. …

“I had the great honor to serve as Labor Secretary in President Obama’s cabinet and have seen firsthand the character and decency of President Biden that is rooted in his faith, which has helped him persevere and overcome devastating personal tragedy.

“I thank him and his wife, First Lady Dr. Jill Biden, for tirelessly serving our country with continued dignity, grace, honesty, character, and devotion and for always placing the country’s needs above their own,” Solis said.

Supervisor Holly Mitchell thanked the president for “exemplary leadership and dedication to this country. You have led us through unprecedented times and continue to show us what it means to be a genuine public servant.”

Rep Judy Chu, D-Monterey Park, lauded Biden “for his unwavering commitment to bettering our country. … Bringing us out of a once-in-a-century pandemic. Fighting against anti-Asian hate, signing the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act into law, and starting the process for a national museum that celebrates Asian American and Pacific Islander history. Nominating a historic number of women, people of color, and LGTBQ+ Americans for executive positions and judicial roles. Powering an infrastructure and manufacturing boom. … Overseeing the biggest investment in fighting the climate crisis ever and protecting millions of acres of public lands, including the San Gabriel Mountains in my district. …

“I can never forget the empathy President Biden showed in a time of immense need for the families of the victims of a mass shooting in my hometown Monterey Park,” Chu said. “I am forever grateful for the hours he spent with us in this selfless act of healing for our community. President Biden is a good, decent man who has always been a warrior for the soul of this nation. We are a better nation for his leadership.”

Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Burbank, who is running for U.S. Senate against former LA Dodgers player Steve Garvey, endorsed Harris on Sunday.

“It’s time for all of us to unite behind Vice President Harris,” Garvey said. “I am excited to endorse her campaign for President — she has the judgment, experience, leadership, and tenacity to take on and defeat Donald Trump. I worked with her when she was our Attorney General, Senator, and Vice President, and I can’t wait to work with her as President. There is no better matchup than this superb former prosecutor against this convicted criminal, and she’ll prosecute the case against Trump every single day.”

In an earlier statement Garvey said Schiff did not do enough when the congressman called on Biden to drop out of the race.

“Biden should resign immediately for the good of the nation,” Garvey said. “Under his leadership, we are facing unprecedented international threats, including the ongoing war in Ukraine, the conflict in Israel, and increasing dangers from Iran. Our country deserves leadership that can effectively address these challenges and restore stability at home and abroad. Schiff not demanding his resignation imperils Americans at home and abroad every day.”

Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Los Angeles, said, “Thank you, President Biden! I am one of your greatest supporters and I was willing to stay with you through the Democratic Party nomination. However, you have decided to step down and you have endorsed your Vice President Kamala Harris. You are a kind and decent man who is willing to make a sacrifice for what you believe is for the good of the country. Vice President Kamala Harris has my full support!”

Rep. Ted Lieu, D-Torrance, said, “President Biden will go down in history as one of the best Presidents of our great country. (He) took a nation hurt by the pandemic and turned our country around, ushering in massive job growth, infrastructure and a clean energy and tech revolution. Thank you Mr. President.”

Rep. Mike Levin, D-Dana Point, called Biden’s decision “incredibly patriotic and the right thing to do. He put country first. I want to thank President Biden for his decades of public service to our country and his historic presidency. He has led our country with unwavering courage, conviction and strength. Our nation, and the entire free world, is better off because of his leadership.”

Levin endorsed Harris, saying she is “the right person to lead our nation forward and defeat Donald Trump and his extremist policies.”

Rep. Jimmy Gomez, D-Los Angeles, said Biden was “prioritizing the American people and doing all possible to secure the strongest, brightest and most stable future for our nation. With heart and humility, the president has used his time in the White House to usher in transformative change. … The president’s decision to step aside is bigger than one election or one candidate — it is about the kind of country we want to be in the long run. Now is the time to unify and continue Democrats’ longtime fight for working people across this country.”

State Assemblyman Isaac Bryan, D-Culver City, posted, “The right decision. Selfless, powerful, historic.”

Rep. Nanette Barragán, D-San Pedro, said Biden “has been one of the most consequential presidents in American history. I’m proud to have worked so closely with his administration on so many of these historic achievements. Democrats will work to ensure his legacy is secure and will support (the president) and Kamala Harris as the party moves forward, unified, in our efforts to put the American people over politics.”

Rep. Robert Garcia, D-Long Beach and the city’s former mayor, said on X, “It’s been an honor to support (Biden and Harris) from day one. Now we must unite around our vice president and defeat Donald Trump. I’m all in. Are you? Let’s go!”

Garcia called Biden “the most accomplished president of our lifetime.”

Long Beach Mayor Rex Richardson thanked Biden for his service and policies.

“Your administration has been a tremendous partner with us here in Long Beach as we create more opportunities for working families,” Richardson said. “Our economy, our infrastructure and our country are stronger thanks to your leadership.”

Rep. Katie Porter, D-Irvine, said, “I hope we will have a process that energizes the electorate to set us up for victory in November. I look forward to Vice President Harris making her case to voters and I will support our nominee however I can so we keep the White House.”

Rep. Michelle Steel, R-Cypress, said Biden’s exit from the election “changes nothing when it comes to the mess he and Kamala Harris have created for Southern California families — a wide open southern border, higher taxes and record cost-of-living increases.”

Rep. Sydney Kamlager-Dove, D-Los Angeles, said Biden “showed up for Black Americans after they were forgotten for four years by President Trump. Under President Biden, Black businesses have increased by 40%, Black wealth has risen by 60%, and Black unemployment is at the lowest rate in history. He has appointed more Black judges to the bench than any other president, including Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson. And, for the first time in history, a Black woman serves as our Vice President.

“The Biden-Harris Administration will be enshrined in the history books as one of the most progressive and accomplished administrations in history,” Kamlager-Dove said.

Rep. Linda Sanchez, D-Whittier, said that during the president’s term in office, “we have made historic advancements in combating climate change, rebuilding our economy and infrastructure, and uplifting millions of Americans, particularly working-class families and communities of color. He will leave office and public service with a legacy of progressive accomplishments that few presidents can rival in modern history.”

The Republican Party of Orange County chided Biden’s endorsement of Harris.

“Democrats will be in chaos for the next four weeks until their convention begins in Chicago — with no nominee. Their kingmakers will decide the candidate, not the voters. The irony is thick coming from the party constantly warning about threats to democracy,” the party said in a statement.

“Joe Biden has endorsed Kamala Harris. The truth is there is no daylight between Biden and Harris,” the statement continued. “As Vice President, she is just as responsible for the failed administration and the policies that have crushed Americans as Joe is. … As Californians we know the damage Kamala Harris has done to our state and our nation: out-of-control inflation, rampant crime and a border crisis. She has failed up her entire career and has no place failing up to the highest office in the land.”

California Republican Party Chairwoman Jessica Millan Patterson also criticized Harris’ record on issues affecting the state.

“Going forward, Democrats will have to grapple with two questions: If Joe Biden is unfit to serve four more years, is he fit to serve the remainder of his term? And is disastrous California Democrat Kamala Harris, who enabled a clearly declining Biden during his time as president, really the best backup option?” Millan Patterson said in a statement.

“President Biden tasked her with solving the border crisis, and in turn, she made our country less safe, allowing millions more to flood into our country illegally. As California’s top cop, she allowed criminals to thrive, including refusing to stop Prop. 47 that still wreaks havoc on our state today,” Millan Patterson continued. “Just as she failed on behalf of the Golden State, something Californians remember all too well, Harris owns the failed Biden-Harris agenda that led to rising prices, a weakened global standing, failing schools and surging crime.

“Republicans are united behind President Trump and will be ready for whoever the Democrats decide is their best bad option to support.”

The Los Angeles County Democratic Party praised Biden for his “incredible leadership and steadfast moral character,” which it said “laid the foundation for returning manufacturing jobs to our country.”

The party statement added that “his presidency was the steady hand we needed to prepare our country for a prosperous future and a better tomorrow for working people in America.”

California’s junior Democratic senator in Congress, Laphonza Butler, who was appointed by the governor following the death in September of Sen. Diane Feinstein, said: “Our nation owes President Biden a debt of gratitude for his service and patriotism, especially in making such a difficult decision. Thanks to his leadership, the American people have witnessed historic investments in education, infrastructure, and so much more. The threat to all that progress remains, and we must now do everything we can to ensure Vice President Harris succeeds. There’s no one better prepared for this challenge.”

Alex Padilla, a Democrat and California’s senior U.S. senator, wrote, “Today, President Biden put our country first, as he has done throughout his public service career.”

Gov. Gavin Newsom said Biden “has been an extraordinary, history-making president — a leader who has fought hard for working people and delivered astonishing results for all Americans. He will go down in history as one of the most impactful and selfless presidents.”

The Los Angeles County Republican Party rebuked Newsom’s comments, saying, “You praised him after the debate. We knew Biden was unfit for years, yet you and the media lied and smeared anyone that told the truth. Nobody should trust anything you (Newsom) say.”

The party added in another post, “It doesn’t matter who the nominee is when it’s still the same destructive policy platform.”

Trump also weighed in on the withdrawal of Biden, who defeated him in 2020.

“Crooked Joe Biden was not fit to run for President, and is certainly not fit to serve – And never was!” Trump posted on Truth Social. “He only attained the position of President by lies, Fake News, and not leaving his Basement. All those around him, including his Doctor and the Media, knew that he wasn’t capable of being President, and he wasn’t — And now, look what he’s done to our Country, with millions of people coming across our Border, totally unchecked and unvetted, many from prisons, mental institutions, and record numbers of terrorists. We will suffer greatly because of his presidency, but we will remedy the damage he has done very quickly. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!”

The Democratic Party may experience an internal divide between Harris supporters and those in favor of an open competition for the presidential nomination in advance of the Democratic National Convention, scheduled for Aug. 19-22 in Chicago.

City News Service contributed to this report.

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