Election 2024: Biden says he's leaving the race and endorsing Harris

The former Biden-Harris HQ X page has rebranded, changing its handle and username to “Kamala HQ.”

The page announced its launch with a post tonight.

“Welcome to Kamala HQ,” it read. “This is the official rapid response page of Vice President Harris’ presidential campaign.”

Schumer and Harris spoke this afternoon, per a source familiar with the circumstances.

 The Senate is not in session until Tuesday.

Surrounded by a handful of trusted advisers and first lady Jill Biden at his vacation home on the Delaware coast last night, Biden reflected on a political career that spanned more than half a century and began to conclude that it would reach its end earlier than planned, according to people familiar with his decision.

Isolated, frustrated and angry, he felt betrayed by allies who turned on him in his hour of need. 

Mad as he was — and still is — Biden came grudgingly to accept that he could not sustain his campaign with poll numbers slipping, donors fleeing and party luminaries pushing him to exit. He may have been slower than other Democratic insiders to make that calculation, but he fully understood it by last night. 

The account of this critical weekend, and what led to Biden’s stunning announcement, came from interviews with two dozen Democrats familiar with what transpired.

Read the full story here.

Rep. Robert Garcia, D-Calif., said on X that he spoke with Biden and that he is "in good spirits and sounded great."

"I thanked him for his incredible service and told him it was honor to always stand by his side," Garcia said. "He is an American hero."

Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas, told MSNBC’s Joy Reid that she recently spoke with Harris.

While Crockett declined to provide details about what they discussed, she said the call itself was meaningful. “The fact that I did get a phone call from her — and I’m just a freshman member of Congress, y’all — says a lot about who she is,” Crockett said.

“I look forward to this fight,” said Crockett, who earlier today pledged her support for Harris' candidacy. “We have all hands on deck, but if people think this is going to be an easy fight, it’s not.”

Rep. James Clyburn, D-S.C., an influential former leadership member of the House Democratic Caucus, said he endorses Harris for president.

Clyburn, a longtime friend and strong supporter of Biden's, said he had told Biden that he had his full support and that "I was not going to change my mind unless he changed his." Earlier today, Clyburn said, Biden called to inform him that he had changed his mind and was no longer running for re-election.

On the call, Biden also said he would endorse Harris, Clyburn said.

In his first statement since Biden dropped out, second gentleman Doug Emhoff tonight thanked the president and the first lady for their years of service and friendship.

"I am deeply grateful to @POTUS and @FLOTUS for their years of friendship and support," Emhoff said on X. "President Biden is a true patriot who leads our nation with honesty, decency, and integrity."

Emhoff also highlighted the collaboration between the Biden and Harris offices to fight "tirelessly for families and communities, delivering for Americans across our nation."

ActBlue, the leading Democratic online donation processor, said that as of 9 p.m. ET, $46.7 million has been raised through the platform since Biden announced he's dropping out.

"This has been the biggest fundraising day of the 2024 cycle," ActBlue said on X. "Small-dollar donors are fired up and ready to take on this election."

With no presumptive nominee, the Democratic nomination is in the hands of the delegates. And a handful of convention delegations in states like Tennessee, New Hampshire, Louisiana, Florida, South Carolina and North Carolina are announcing their support for Harris.

While the exact whip count of delegates backing Harris isn't clear at this point, what is clear is there's a fast move inside the party to coalesce around her.

The HBO streaming platform Max is now advertising the comedy series "Veep" on its home screen.

The show follows the story of Selina Meyer, a U.S. senator who becomes vice president after an unsuccessful presidential campaign. Then, when the president unexpectedly resigns, she takes over as commander in chief.

In the aftermath of Biden's announcement, X users circulated a clip from the show in which the president decides not to seek re-election, leaving the path to the nomination open to the vice president.

A member of Democratic leadership in Congress said Harris could energize the Democratic base.

“The pain of 2016 and Clinton — the first woman president slipping through our fingers — that pain still lingers," the lawmaker said, adding that this November could be an opportunity for a comeback.

At the same time, the lawmaker said, Harris will have to prove herself amid an undercurrent of sexism.

The Service Employees International Union endorsed Harris for president on X.

"Vice President @KamalaHarris has been a powerful and steady voice advocating for working people," the post said. "Across industries and backgrounds, we will support her as our President. We will finish the job that we started under the Administration and get closer to achieving #UnionsForAll."

The union, which boasts about 2 million members, had endorsed the Biden-Harris ticket in April last year.

NBC News’ Steve Kornacki breaks down the challenges Harris, if she's the Democratic nominee, and Trump could face in battleground states.

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg endorsed Harris for president in a post on X.

"Kamala Harris is now the right person to take up the torch, defeat Donald Trump, and succeed Joe Biden as President," Buttigieg said.

Buttigieg, who, like Harris, was a 2020 presidential candidate, drew on his working relationship with Harris during that campaign and what he called the "historically effective" Biden-Harris administration.

Charli XCX appeared to back Harris for president on X today.

The pop musician has had a chart-topping summer after she released her album “Brat,” which has also been the source material of trending social media posts and memes from Harris supporters.

She seems to have caught onto the trend, tweeting: “kamala IS brat”

Florida state Sen. Shevrin Jones, who also chairs the Miami-Dade Democratic Party, told NBC News it would be "malpractice" for the Democratic Party to rally behind any other candidate but Harris to replace Biden at the top of the ticket.

"Skipping over Kamala Harris and going to any other Democratic candidate would be malpractice," Jones said. "That would ostracize an entire group of people, from the Black community to women to the Caribbean community."

Jones said trying to "galvanize a whole country" behind a different candidate with only 107 days left in the race would amount to "negligence."

Asked what the mood has been among Democrats in and out of Florida, Jones said the base is motivated, pointing to a higher-than-usual turnout of participants on the Miami Democrats call tonight, but he added that there are "mixed feelings."

"There's excitement to move in a different direction, but there's people like me who question the motives of what happens next," Jones said. "People are galvanized by the understanding of the threat to democracy Donald Trump brings."

The Democratic money machine is back in business.

Hours after Biden made the extraordinary decision to step aside in the presidential campaign and back Harris instead, large and small donors began digging back into their pockets.

ActBlue, the leading Democratic online donation processor, reported that donors gave $27.5 million in small-dollar donations through the platform in the hours after Biden made his announcement.

Read the full story here.

Harris has long supported the LGBTQ community, advocating for equal rights and donning a now-ubiquitous sequin rainbow denim jacket during a Pride event last year.

It's no surprise, then, that LGBTQ people on social media and off it wasted no time celebrating her running for president.

Rep. Robert Garcia of California, the first gay immigrant elected to Congress, was among the first lawmakers to publicly endorse Harris.

“It’s been an honor to support JoeBiden & KamalaHarris from day one. Now we must unite around our Vice-President and defeat Donald Trump. I’m all in, are you? Let’s go!” he wrote on X.

Elsewhere, the LGBTQ community celebrated with memes, videos and even makeshift Harris shirts that also referred to the popular Charlie XCX album “Brat.”

Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., endorsed Harris for president in a video on her X account, joining a growing list of Democratic senators to back their former colleague.

Warren called Harris a “ferocious warrior” on the issue of abortion, saying that under her leadership Roe v. Wade would become “the law of the land” again.

“When you’re up against a convicted felon, who better than a former prosecutor to take it straight to Donald Trump?” Warren said, referring to Harris' former role as California state attorney general.

Harris has spent “nearly” the entire day on the phone from the vice president's residence, according to a source. She has been talking to senators, House members, governors, civil rights leaders, heads of groups and Democratic officials, pretty much back to back.

Jason Miller, a senior campaign adviser to Trump, said the campaign is ready to tackle the abrupt change in the political landscape after Biden dropped out of the race.

The campaign is "ready for anything the Democrats throw at us," he told NBC News’ Lester Holt.

Addressing the likelihood of Harris’ becoming the Democratic nominee, Miller said she can be tied to actions taken by Biden that Republicans have been running against.

“Kamala Harris owns all the failures of the past 3½ years," he added, referring to immigration policies.

"I mean, heck, she wants to get rid of plastic straws," Miller said. Harris in 2019 had indicated support for eventually banning plastic straws.

Miller confirmed there would definitely be a debate between Trump and the Democratic candidate.

Attorney General Merrick Garland today praised Biden for keeping the Justice Department focused on its mission.

"He stands for the rule of law and for the Justice Department's critical mission to protect the safety and the civil rights of everyone in our country," Garland said in a statement.

Garland said Biden has displayed "enormous respect" for the department's 115,000-person workforce.

In a display of bipartisan respect that has become rare in modern American politics, Utah's Republican governor, Spencer Cox, expressed empathy and gratitude for Biden and what he called his "terribly difficult decision."

"Getting old is hard," Cox said on X, relating his own experience of watching his father's struggle with Parkinson's disease. (Biden has not been diagnosed with Parkinson's or any other neurodegenerative illness.)

Cox said Biden has always been "gracious and kind" to him and all the governors in the National Governors Association.

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez announced she's backing Harris on X.

"Kamala Harris will be the next President of the United States. I pledge my full support to ensure her victory in November," she wrote. "Now more than ever, it is crucial that our party and country swiftly unite to defeat Donald Trump and the threat to American democracy. Let’s get to work."

A state party chairperson who participated in a call among party chairs, vice chairs and executive directors told NBC News that there were "no objections to moving forward with being open with our support for the vice president and moving forward."

The chairperson cautioned that there was no formal roll call vote of state party delegations or formal declarations of support. But the state chairperson added that the call concluded with a "strong call for unity in this moment and support for the president['s choice] and Vice President Harris."

NBC News’ Lester Holt takes a look back at Biden’s political career, highlighting his legacy, emotional family moments and decision to withdraw from the 2024 presidential race.

After Biden announced that he’d end his re-election campaign, attention immediately turned to who will replace him on the ticket.

Biden endorsed Harris to succeed him as the Democratic nominee, but the decision ultimately rests with the party’s delegates at the national convention in Chicago next month.

That means an array of scenarios could unfold. Harris could quickly unify the party behind her and would be in need of a running mate. Or any number of Democrats could run for the presidential nomination in what is now an open process.

Read the full story here.

Sen. Brian Schatz of Hawaii announced his support for Harris in a post on X that paid tribute to a popular meme about her.

In the photo, Schatz is climbing a coconut tree, most likely a reference to a May 2023 speech in which Harris said, “You think you just fell out of a coconut tree? You exist in the context of all in which you live and what came before you.” 

One thing hasn’t changed now that Biden is no longer seeking the Democratic Party’s nomination: Democratic convention delegates remain free to vote for whomever they want to be their party’s nominee, regardless of the results of the primaries.

The only command to delegates under current convention rules is to “in all good conscience reflect the sentiments of those who elected them.” After a primary process in which Biden won virtually every contest and faced no true opposition, those “sentiments” were easy to predict.

Now that means those Democratic delegates can do whatever they want, as Biden himself acknowledged this month answering a question from a reporter during his NATO news conference.

Read the full story here.

Democratic voters reacted to the news that Biden is dropping out of the presidential race. Antonia Hylton spoke to voters about their thoughts on the future of the race.

Within hours, Harris routed her website to a form for fundraising — and it seemed to be paying dividends.

Small-dollar donors, those who are contributing less than $200, have raised more than $27.5 million for Harris in the first five hours of her campaign, according to the fundraising platform ActBlue.

Pro-gun control activist David Hogg said on X that he has raised just under $200,000 for Harris in almost three hours on ActBlue.

Rep. Lloyd Doggett of Texas, the first Democrat to urge Biden to step down as the party’s presidential nominee, is calling for an open process to select the new nominee.

While Harris is the “likely” candidate to replace Biden, Doggett told NBC’s Lester Holt, “let’s keep the process open enough for anyone who believes they have a chance to beat Trump.”

Doggett added that Biden's decision to step aside shows how he is able to put the country before his own ego, something he said Trump would never do.

Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, the 2012 Republican presidential nominee, believes Biden made the right call to step aside.

"His decision to withdraw from the race was right and is in the best interest of the country," he said in a statement.

Romney noted that although he differed with Biden on many policy issues, the two men had found "common ground" on various matters in the last few years, including infrastructure, Ukraine and chip manufacturing.

“Others will judge his presidency," he added. "However, having worked with him these past few years, I respect President Biden." 

Biden’s decision to abandon his candidacy was not related to any new medical information, a senior administration official said.

Biden had said in an interview that aired last week that if “some medical condition” emerged, he might reconsider his decision to stay in the race.

"If doctors came to me and said, 'You got this problem, that problem,'” Biden hypothesized in the interview.  

Biden has been monitored by his doctor since his Covid-19 diagnosis and has had bloodwork done related to that, but he hasn’t undergone any extensive tests or medical examinations in recent days, the official said. 

Biden's last comprehensive physical exam was in February, White House physician Kevin O’Connor said in a letter this month.

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore, a Democrat, is expected to endorse Harris for president tomorrow, a source with direct knowledge of the planning said. Moore has been a national advisory board member for the Biden-Harris campaign.

Moore and Biden grew closer during the response to the Francis Scott Key bridge collapse in Baltimore, when the president pledged full federal support for the rebuilding effort.

In the hours after Biden left the race and endorsed Harris for the top of the ticket, an account dubbed "Swifties for Harris" was created on X.

"Keep an eye on this account for future opportunities to get involved, ideas to spread the word, and most importantly REGISTER TO VOTE!" the account's sole post said. It linked out to vote.gov.

The account does not appear to be directly associated with Taylor Swift, who publicly endorsed the Biden-Harris ticket in 2020 but has not yet offered an endorsement for 2024.

In true Swiftie fashion, the account's cover photo appears to include graphics of friendship bracelets. The account's profile photo is a logo of a sleeping cat with the slogan "Kamala's a relaxing thought," a nod to Swift's "Karma."

Sen. Joe Manchin, I-W.Va., is eyeing a run for the White House, two sources who spoke to Manchin told NBC News.

The move would challenge Harris for the nomination; Manchin, a moderate who caucuses with Senate Democrats, has not endorsed her and does not plan to publicly support her at this time, the sources said.

Manchin, who will turn 77 years old next month, called for Biden to exit the race earlier today. The senator launched a nonprofit political group to elevate centrist candidates, Americans Together, last year, and has long speculated that he could run for president — even having floated Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, as a possible running mate this year.

The Democratic governors of California, Colorado and North Carolina have endorsed Harris.

"Tough. Fearless. Tenacious. With our democracy at stake and our future on the line, no one is better to prosecute the case against Donald Trump’s dark vision and guide our country in a healthier direction than America’s Vice President, @KamalaHarris," California Gov. Gavin Newsom wrote on X tonight. Newsom had been considered among the potential challengers to Harris for the top of the ticket.

Gov. Jared Polis of Colorado said Harris represents much-needed new outlook for an office occupied by successive presidents in their 70s when they entered office. Harris is a relatively youthful 59.

"Americans want to turn the page," Polis said on X. "Kamala has a vision of hope and a future we all can believe in."

The chair of the Democratic National Convention paid tribute to Biden and pledged that the event next month will give Democrats an opportunity to unify behind a new ticket.

Minyon Moore said in a statement that the convention, which takes place Aug. 19-22 in Chicago, will allow the party to "come together as a party and recommit to the work ahead" just months from the general election.

"The historic progress Democrats achieved under the Biden-Harris administration will still be central to that story, as will the story of what is at stake in this election," she added.

Biden's endorsement of Harris as his successor sends a powerful message to Black women, an important voting bloc going into November, said Rep. Ayanna Pressley, D-Mass., a member of the "squad," a group of far-left House members.

"Black women have been the backbone of the Democratic Party," she said. "Kamala Harris being at the top of the ticket is both significant and meaningful to Black women."

Harris' record of supporting reproductive freedom is likely to play an important factor in the election, Pressley added.

Arizona voter Ruby Macias, 25, told NBC News that she is "pretty excited" about Biden's ending his presidential bid.

"As weird as that sounds, I’m excited about it,” said Macias, who voted for Trump in 2020 but had been planning to vote for Biden in November. “He’s obviously very rapidly declining in more ways than one. So I’m excited about it,” she said, adding that she looked forward to a new option. 

Macias also described fear, saying she anxious about what the next couple of months might hold.

“I’m a little scared, a little concerned to see what’s to come,” she said. “I mean, the 2016 election was nuts. So I just feel like this one is a little bit more intense. I feel like there’s a lot more animosity that goes into it.”

Jill Biden was "supportive of whatever road" her husband chose "down to the last hours" of his decision to exit the race, a spokesperson for the first lady said.

“Down to the last hours of the decision only he could make, she was supportive of whatever road he chose," Elizabeth Alexander, the first lady’s communications director, wrote in a statement. "She’s his biggest believer, champion, and always on his side, in that trusted way only a spouse of almost 50 years can be.”

Trump said today that the September debate between him and Biden, which ABC News is scheduled to host, should take place instead on Fox News, where a few of the network’s top hosts have advised Trump and his previous campaign.

"Now that Joe has, not surprisingly, has quit the race, I think the Debate, with whomever the Radical Left Democrats choose, should be held on FoxNews, rather than very biased ABC," Trump said in a post on Truth Social, in which he called Biden "the Worst President in the history of the United States."

ABC News did not immediately respond to a request for comment about a possible network change for the Sept. 10 debate.

Trump’s campaign did not immediately respond to an inquiry about whether he will go forward with the September debate as planned.

Rep. Mark Pocan, D-Wis., voiced his support for Harris as she officially seeks to become the Democrats’ presidential nominee.

“I can’t wait to have her come to Wisconsin,” Pocan told Chris Jansing on MSNBC. “This is the energy that we’ve been looking for.”

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro has endorsed Harris for president, saying that she is "the best path forward for the Democratic Party is to quickly unite behind Vice President Harris and refocus on winning the presidency."

Shapiro's name had been floated as a potential replacement for Biden on the ticket, and a potential running mate for whoever nabs the nomination.

Harris and Jeffries spoke by phone today, a source familiar with the conversation told NBC News.

Jeffries appeared on MSNBC earlier today and did not outright endorse Harris as the new nominee.

Jim Ellis, a staunch Arizona Democrat, spoke to NBC News about Biden's decision to drop his re-election bid and said he would consider various candidates for the top of the ticket. 

Asked whether he’ll vote Democratic no matter who gets the nomination, Ellis said, “I will vote for a Petri dish with bacteria in it before I vote for Donald Trump.”

Asked whether Harris would be his top choice to replace Biden, Ellis, 69, who is retired, said former first lady, New York senator and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton would be his choice.

“I voted for her back in 2016, so why not?" he said. "She was at the top of the top of the top of the heap at that point in time. I like [Rep. Katie] Porter from California. There’s a number of different people — Pete Buttigieg,” who is Biden's transportation secretary. 

The Arab American Anti-Discrimination committee called today a "moment of political clarity" for the Democrats, saying Biden's position on the Israel-Hamas war has significantly eroded his support among Arab Americans and young progressives.

The group commended Biden's decision to drop out, calling it a positive development.

"We hope it paves the way for a nominee who advocates for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire, while upholding universal human rights," the group's executive director, Abed Ayoub, said in a statement.

The three largest political action committees representing minority voters — Collective PAC, the Latino Victory Fund PAC and AAPI Victory Fund — endorsed Harris for president in a joint news release.

Collective PAC co-founders Stefanie Brown James and Quentin James thanked Biden.

"We thank him for standing with us, and we are excited to stand firm and tall with our candidate of choice, Vice President Kamala Harris," they wrote. "In the face of radical fascism, individual freedoms are no longer guaranteed for all Americans, including Black people, who know all too well the perils of institutional racism and democratic setbacks."

Latino Victory Fund board chair Luis A. Miranda Jr. said in a statement on X that the fund "enthusiastically endorses" Harris, and he urged all Latino delegates "to close ranks around her nomination."

AAPI Victory Fund vowed on X to "fight with all our might" to make Harris "the first South Asian and Black woman" to serve as president.

"As we look towards the future, we steadfastly agree with President Biden — Vice President Kamala Harris is the Democratic Party's best choice to win this November," the group said.

Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota knows firsthand how tough Harris can be on the debate stage.

They sparred in 2019 when they both ran for president, and while neither emerged as the Democratic nominee, they did become friends. Now, Klobuchar sees Harris, a former prosecutor, as the perfect candidate to take on Trump, a convicted felon.

"She is a fierce competitor," Klobuchar said. "She is going to bring that to the debate stage."

WASHINGTON — Soon after Biden dropped out of the race, Harris accepted his endorsement and announced she will seek the Democratic nomination to face Trump in November.

“I am honored to have the President’s endorsement and my intention is to earn and win this nomination. 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,” Harris said in a statement. “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.”

In a way, Biden’s momentous decision today moves up a long-anticipated 2028 Democratic primary campaign that was expected to feature a broad cast of rising stars in the party. But the sudden start and a shortened four-month timeline mean Harris starts out with a massive advantage — a campaign apparatus and millions in funds she can inherit, as well as rapid endorsements from broad swaths of the party eager to quickly settle on a nominee.

Read the full story here.

People have been gathering along the perimeter of the White House, with some holding signs thanking Biden for his service.

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said his nation "is grateful to President Biden for his unwavering support for Ukraine’s fight for freedom."

"Many strong decisions have been made in recent years and they will be remembered as bold steps taken by President Biden in response to challenging times," Zelenskyy said. "He supported our country during the most dramatic moment in history."

Biden campaign chair Jen O’Malley Dillon and campaign manager Julie Chavez Rodriguez held a call with their staff this evening, reiterating that the campaign is moving forward around Harris and her candidacy, three sources familiar with the call said. 

They stressed that their campaign apparatus was already “built to beat” Trump in November and that that is now the plan with Harris at the top of the ticket. 

O’Malley Dillon indicated to staff members that their jobs were safe and would transfer to the campaign operation for Harris. 

“It is OK to feel sad,” she said a short time ago, referring to “the hardest weeks” she has ever been through on any campaign ever. 

Voters across the U.S. said they were stunned after Biden announced he was dropping his re-election bid, sending the presidential race in an unexpected direction that some embraced and others eyed with concern. 

Some Biden supporters who spoke to NBC News this afternoon said they were disappointed in his decision, while others who had planned to vote for him were energized by the idea that a different candidate could fare better against Trump. 

“It could be an opportunity for great change or terrible change,” said Jamie Yu, 27, a nurse in Phoenix. 

Read the full story here.

Former Rep. Charlie Dent, R-Pa., told MSNBC's Chris Jansing that Democrats should be pragmatic and pick a presidential nominee who can win Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Michigan.

Dent said he doesn't think Harris will help Democrats win the consequential state.

"Kamala is strong, but there may be others who are stronger," Dent said, pointing to Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro and Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer as possible contenders who could win the three key swing states.

Trump, whose nicknames for foes are among his favorite ways of characterizing them, had a nickname ready for Harris.

On July 4, he appeared to introduce it to the world: "Laffin' Kamala Harris."

In a post on his social media platform, Truth Social, Trump tried to depict Harris as mad, and he tied her to former boyfriend and mentor Willie Brown, the former mayor of San Francisco and California Assembly speaker.

Biden might be out of the running, but organizers of a protest against the Democratic National Convention say they will continue with their plans regardless of who is running for the nomination.

"We'll see you at the March on the DNC no matter who's on top of the ticket!" the organizers posted on social media shorted after news of Biden's withdrawal dropped.

Chicago-based activist Hatem Abudayyeh, who recently protested the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, expected Biden would eventually bow out of the race but said the announcement does not change his hopes that tens of thousands of people will descend on the DNC next to protest U.S. support for Israeli military operations in Gaza.

Biden's decision to step aside has energized Democrats, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., told MSNBC, and it has Trump "running scared."

Jeffries told MSNBC that he is confident in Harris and that the party's focus going forward is to end Trump policies and Project 2025, which he described as "the Trump plan to end America and our values.”

Members of Biden's Cabinet have made statements in support of him and his decision to exit the race.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement on X, "It has been — and remains —the honor of my life to work for @POTUS for the past twenty-two years" — a time frame that includes Biden's time in the Senate.

Blinken added that Biden "has restored U.S. leadership around the world and delivered historic accomplishments as President," and said he looks forward to "building on that record" as the president finishes out his term.

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said, “Biden has earned his place among the best and most consequential presidents in American history. I am so proud to serve under his leadership, and thankful for his unwavering focus on what is best for our country."

In the days leading up to his decision to step aside as the presumptive Democratic nominee, Biden asked to see polling on how Harris would fare in a match-up against Trump, according to two people familiar with the matter.

The polling, which had been solicited by Biden’s campaign, was very tightly held. It was circulated to only a handful of top campaign aides, including Mike Donilon and Jen O’Malley Dillon, the two people familiar with the matter said.

They said Biden also reviewed public polling as he wanted to know more about her standing against Trump.

With Biden exiting the race, Harris becomes the overwhelming front-runner to be the Democratic Party’s presidential nominee.

Harris’ biggest challenge lies further ahead, though: She has been polling the same as Biden — or just slightly better — against Trump, according to multiple surveys taken before Biden withdrew from the contest.

And Biden was running behind Trump in many national and battleground-state polls — which precipitated his withdrawal.

Read the full story here.

Hunter Biden praised his father, the president, in a statement today following his decision to step down as the presumptive nominee of the Democratic Party.

“For my entire life, I’ve looked at my dad in awe,” Hunter Biden said. “How could he suffer so much heartache and yet give so much of whatever remained of his heart to others?” 

He said he witnessed his father “absorb” the pain of countless Americans over his life, saying he would give them his personal phone number to call when they were “hurting.”

He said “unconditional love” has been Joe Biden’s north star as president and as a father, claiming that there is “no distance” between Joe Biden the man and Joe Biden the public servant over his 54 years in politics.

“I’m so lucky every night I get to tell him I love him, and to thank him,” Hunter Biden said. “I ask all Americans to join me tonight in doing the same.”

“Thank you, Mr. President. I love you, Dad,” he concluded.

Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., who is running for the Senate, endorsed Harris for president in a statement on X.

He thanked Biden, who he said will "leave office with a legacy unlike any other modern president," adding that Biden "has always put the country first and he did so again today, after more than 50 years of tremendous service."

Schiff, who led the first House impeachment of Trump, went on to echo Biden's endorsement of Harris.

Tyran Lucas, a 25-year-old chef and supporter of Kennedy, told NBC News he’s happy Biden isn’t running for re-election but isn’t sure Harris is the best choice.

“Older generations kind of need to go into retirement, into the home,” Lucas said after he confirmed he doesn't think Biden should serve out his term.

Despite that view, he said he believes he could get behind Sanders, even though Sanders is older than Biden. Sanders' support of the Green New Deal is among the policies Lucas said he could get behind.

If he had to choose between Biden and Harris, Lucas said, Harris would be a good choice, particularly because it would be "good for women" if she were the first female president.

"That’d be a nice thing," Lucas said, but he added that if Harris has "the same ideology as Biden" and goes "the same route" as him, "I don’t think we’re going to make it as a country."

Over 25 days, the presidential race has been reshaped in historic proportions with an attempted assassination on one candidate and with the other dropping out of the race.

Here is a timeline of the events that shook American politics:

June 27: Biden and Trump debate in Atlanta, with many Democrats panning Biden’s poor performance and several former elected officials and Democratic political advisers suggesting he should drop out of the race.

Harris called Congressional Black Caucus Chair Steven Horsford, D-Nev., and the two talked for about five minutes, he said in an interview.

“She let me know that she intends to earn it and to win it,” he said in an interview. “And we are, of course, supportive of her and her efforts in partnership with President Biden and the work that we’ve already accomplished in the last 3½ years, together with the members of the Congressional Black Caucus.”

Biden for President has changed its name with the Federal Election Commission to "Harris for President," according to new filings.

A notification from the campaign said Harris will be issuing new FEC filings soon.

“This letter is to inform you that Vice President Harris is no longer a candidate in the 2024 election for Vice President. Vice President Harris is now a candidate for United States President in the 2024 election and will henceforth be conducting campaign activities only in pursuit of that office. This committee’s Statement of Organization and the Statement of Candidacy are being amended accordingly," the notice to the FEC said.

The United Auto Workers praised Biden today for "putting country before self" as he steps aside from this election and said "Donald Trump and his billionaire agenda" will be defeated.

While the union's statement did not endorse Harris, it did note that she walked with UAW workers in 2019. Biden became the first president to walk with striking workers when he joined a UAW picket line in September.

The statement slammed Trump for inaction when General Motors closed its plant in Lordstown, Ohio.

"That’s the legacy President Biden leaves, and that’s the work we will continue to build on as a union," the statement said. "While Donald Trump lies about rebuilding the auto industry, the fact is that while he was in office, autoworkers in Lordstown were left for dead by GM in 2019 while he said and did nothing."

Sen. Tom Carper, D-Del., said in a statement that he's "immensely proud" of the president for deciding to drop out of the race.

"It has been my privilege to serve the people of Delaware and America with Joe Biden for 50 years. I love him like a brother. He's a proud Democrat, but he's an American first. From the day he took office, he has consistently said that in the end, his final decision on running for re-election would be based on what's best for America. His decision today meets that standard."

Carper, who didn't endorse anyone in his statement, said his prayers are with Biden and his family.

"We are indebted to them for sharing Joe Biden with the people of our country for a half-century, and for their willingness to continue doing so until January 20, 2025," he said.

Following Biden’s decision to step aside in the presidential race, Kamala Harris has been endorsed by many Democrats, including Biden himself. NBC News’ Ryan Nobles discusses potential options for her running mate and explores who could be the Democratic nominee if she isn’t chosen.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, one of Trump's former rivals for the nomination, blasted Harris on X, accusing her of being “complicit in a massive coverup to hide and deny the fact that Joe Biden was not capable of discharging the duties of the office.”

DeSantis said Harris was in charge of border security during what he called the “worst” border crisis in U.S. history.

“Democrats are just rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic.”

Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., considered to be in contention to join the Democratic ticket, has given Harris his full endorsement.

"I couldn’t be more confident that Vice President @KamalaHarris is the right person to defeat Donald Trump and lead our country into the future," Kelly wrote on X. "She has my support for the nomination, and Gabby and I will do everything we can to elect her President of the United States." Kelly’s wife is former Rep, Gabby Giffords, D-Ariz.

Of the several Democratic leaders rumored to be in the running for the vice presidential slot — including Govs. Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan, Andy Beshear of Kentucky and Roy Cooper of North Carolina — Kelly is notably the only one so far who has endorsed Harris.

Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, said in a brief post on X, that she respects Biden's decision "to act in the best interest of the country by stepping aside in the 2024 presidential election."

Murkowski has long been a frequent critic of Trump and voted to convict him in his second Senate impeachment trial following the Jan. 6 insurrection.

In March, she told NBC News that she couldn't vote to re-elect Trump, though she also said at the time, "I can't vote for Biden."

Rep. Debbie Dingell, D-Mich., says that if Biden is supporting Harris, that means he thinks that she can beat Trump and do the job.

"That’s who I am supporting,” Dingell said.

Vance reacted to Biden's decision to not seek re-election, calling him "the worst President in my lifetime" and adding that "Kamala Harris has been right there with him every step of the way."

"Over the last four years she co-signed Biden’s open border and green scam policies that drove up the cost of housing and groceries," Vance wrote on X. He has previously called for Biden's resignation if he couldn't stay on as the presidential nominee.

Vance, Trump's running mate, also accused Harris of not being honest "about Biden’s mental capacity — saddling the nation with a president who can’t do the job."

Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., said on MSNBC he is "all in for Kamala Harris."

Swalwell threw his hat in the ring in the 2020 presidential election alongside Biden and Harris; he endorsed Biden after he exited the race in 2019.

House Oversight Committee ranking member Jamie Raskin, D-Md., endorsed Harris.

"Joe Biden is one of the handful of truly great presidents in American history and a patriot beyond measure," Raskin wrote on X.

Before today’s announcement, Raskin had stood by Biden as many of his colleagues called for him to drop out.

Rep. James Clyburn, D-S.C., a respected former leadership member of the House Democratic Caucus, said in a statement that he endorses Harris for president.

"I echo the good judgment [Biden] demonstrated in selecting Vice President Harris to lead this nation alongside him, and I am proud to follow his lead in support of her candidacy to succeed him as the Democratic Party's 2024 nominee for President," Clyburn wrote.

Clyburn was credited with turning Biden's 2020 presidential campaign around during the primary process, which propelled him to the nomination.

Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers, who leads the battleground state where the Republican National Convention took place last week, thanked Biden today but did not throw his support behind Harris like the president did.

Evers instead vowed that he and Wisconsin Democrats will spend “every moment of every day” leading up to the election to defeat Trump.

Maine Gov. Janet Mills became the first governor today to outright endorse Harris to replace Biden at the top of the ticket.

"I look forward to continuing to work with President Biden for the remainder of his term, and to do everything I can to elect Vice President Kamala Harris, a friend and former colleague as Attorney General and a fighter for the people, as our next president," Mills wrote in a statement on X.

Mills also called Biden "one of the best presidents of my lifetime" and said that in dropping out of the race, "the President is putting the interests of the American people first."

Trump donated $5,000 in 2011 to Kamala Harris' 2014 re-election campaign for California attorney general, according to the California secretary of state's website.

Rep. Jared Moskowitz, D-Fla., tweeted an image today of the check from Trump to Harris, saying it was a "wise investment."

Harris said in a statement she is honored to have Biden’s endorsement to replace him as the Democrats' presidential nominee.

"My intention is to earn and win this nomination," Harris said. "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."

Harris also praised Biden for his "extraordinary leadership" as president.

Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. commended Biden’s decision to withdraw from the race while adding that his “infirmities were evident to any unbiased observer from the beginning.”

“It was this progressive deterioration — and his abandonment of Democratic Party principles — that prompted me to enter the race and ensure American voters had a viable, vigorous alternative to Donald Trump,” he wrote in a post on X.

Kennedy urged the Democratic Party to have an “open” nomination process to replace Biden on the ticket.

Sen. Chris Coons, D-Del., said that he spoke to Biden about his decision to drop out of the race and that he supported Harris to succeed him as the Democratic nominee.

Coons said he hopes the Democratic nominee “will be Vice President Kamala Harris” to “continue the important work that President Biden and Vice President Harris have successfully carried out these last three and a half years.”

“I don’t think there’s a real question,” he said about whether Harris will be the nominee. “Joe Biden chose Kamala Harris as his vice president because, looking at the next generation of leadership of our party, he believed her to be the most capable and competent. He chose her.” 

Coons, a longtime friend of Biden's, has been a co-chair of the 2024 Biden-Harris campaign.

Obama did not endorse Harris like Biden did because he believes he will play a key role in getting the Democratic Party on the same page once a nominee is determined, according to a source familiar with his thinking.

“Just like he did in 2020 once Joe Biden earned the nomination, President Obama believes he will be uniquely positioned to help unite the party once we have a nominee, lift up that candidate, and do everything he can to get that candidate elected in November,” the source said.

Although Obama shared supportive comments about Biden during the 2020 election cycle, he did not officially endorse him until Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., ended his candidacy for the Democratic nomination.

"The framers of our Constitution knew that our republic would endure only if our presidents have the character and honor to put duty ahead of self interest," former GOP Rep. Liz Cheney wrote on X in the wake of Biden exiting the presidential race.

Cheney, who lost her House seat in the 2022 midterms, became an outspoken critic of Trump and helped lead the Jan. 6 committee.

"President Biden deserves our gratitude for his decades of service to our nation and for his courageous decision today," she added.

Now that President Joe Biden has announced he won’t run for re-election, he has endorsed his vice president, Kamala Harris, to be his successor as the Democratic presidential nominee. 

But it’s not up to him, though Biden’s endorsement is the latest in several very powerful factors leaning Harris’ way.

While Biden won virtually all of the delegates to next month’s Democratic National Convention in Chicago and was the party’s presumptive nominee, he relinquishes that title by stepping aside and has no direct power over choosing whom those delegates will officially nominate.

That’s because the convention delegates, the people who actually pick the Democratic Party’s nominee, are not bound by any law or party rules to back the candidate they’re pledged to support. They only have to “in all good conscience reflect the sentiments of those who elected them.” 

Read the full story here.

Former Vice President Al Gore lauded Biden's climate change efforts, noting that he "is responsible for developing and signing the most significant investment in climate solutions into law."

Gore appeared to be referring to the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act, which included $369 billion for clean energy initiatives and efforts to rein in methane emissions.

Former President Barack Obama issued a lengthy statement praising Biden, calling his former vice president a "patriot of the highest order."

"Through his policies and his example, Joe has reminded us of who we are at our best  —  a country committed to old-fashioned values like trust and honesty, kindness and hard work; a country that believes in democracy, rule of law, and accountability; a country that insists that everyone, no matter who they are, has a voice and deserves a chance at a better life," Obama said.

He also said Democrats are about to enter "uncharted waters" to select their presidential nominee. While the Clintons have endorsed Harris, Obama said he was confident the party would create a process for a nominee to emerge.

Several congressional Democrats said they want an "open" process to choose Biden's replacement rather than quickly anointing Harris as the Democratic nominee.

What that open process would look like is still an open question. But Sens. Peter Welch of Vermont, Jon Tester of Montana and Joe Manchin of West Virginia, an independent who caucuses with the Democrats, have endorsed the idea of opening the process up to other potential candidates for president.

One moderate House Democrat told NBC News he also backs an open process, even as many lawmakers are following Biden's lead and rallying behind Harris.

Biden’s decision not to seek the Democratic nomination may have caused an earthquake in political circles, but it isn’t changing the votes of two people interviewed in Grand Rapids, Michigan, today.

“My vote was already set. I’m going to vote Trump,” said Casey Bushick, who was in Grand Rapids today but lives in the Atlanta, Georgia, area and will vote there.

Bushick feels that Biden is too old, and “it’s difficult to watch him struggle as much as he is.” Bushick said that that he wants to see "people not be so divided.”

“I think the division is not good for anyone,” Bushick said.

Rep. Jim Clyburn, D-S.C., a staunch Biden ally and a co-chair of the Biden campaign, will announce his support for Harris as the Democratic presidential nominee in the next 15 minutes, a source told “TODAY” show anchor Craig Melvin.

In a statement, Rep. Lloyd Doggett, D-Texas, who was the first House Democrat to call for Biden to step aside after June's debate, lauded the president for "putting country over ego in a way that Donald Trump never could."

Doggett also said Harris is "clearly the leading candidate," but also called for the Democratic Party to "be open to all talented individuals who wish to be considered."

"Today’s courageous action caps decades of selfless service and opens the door to a Convention that can build on our progress and prevent a takeover of our country by Trump and his gang," Doggett added.

Just after Biden exited the 2024 presidential race, users on social media platform X started pointing out that Trump, now 78 years old, is too old to run for president — the same rhetoric that essentially booted Biden off the ticket.

"I can’t believe the GOP is running an old guy for president. Yikes," one user wrote.

Author Stuart Stevens pointed out that at the end of his term, Trump would be 83.

"America can't risk a president that old," Stevens said.

Top congressional leaders have praised Biden following his decision not to accept his party's nomination for president, but stopped short of endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris as the Democratic nominee.

In statements shortly after Biden's announcement, neither Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries nor former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi have made mention of Harris.

“Joe Biden has not only been a great president and a great legislative leader but he is a truly amazing human being," Schumer said in his statement. "His decision of course was not easy, but he once again put his country, his party, and our future first. Joe, today shows you are a true patriot and great American.”

"President Joe Biden is a patriotic American who has always put our country first," Pelosi said in a statement. "His legacy of vision, values and leadership make him one of the most consequential Presidents in American history. With love and gratitude to President Biden for always believing in the promise of America and giving people the opportunity to reach their fulfillment."

Biden said he is throwing his support behind Harris. Democratic Party delegates will ultimately vote on the party's nominee in August.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell appeared to slam Biden’s decision to drop out, saying that the Democratic Party has been “trying to upend the expressed will of the American people in primary elections across the country.”

“Washington Democrats have not proven themselves any more capable than the President of delivering the secure borders, safe streets, and stable prices that working families deserve,” McConnell wrote in a statement.

Without explicitly naming Biden or Harris, he lambasted the state of the country since Biden’s administration took office in 2021 and wrote that voters “cannot afford four more years of failure.”

Lifelong Democrat Ron Brooker, 77, of Phoenix said today that whoever is the Democratic nominee needs “to hammer" Trump on his criminal conviction.

“They need to point out his flaws, his character flaws," Brooker, a retired accountant, told NBC News.

Brooker said he had planned on voting for Biden, noting that while Biden may not have been perfect, he would have been better than Trump.

Some Republicans reacted immediately to Biden’s announcement that he won’t seek re-election in November by demanding that he resign the presidency as well.

“If Joe Biden is not fit to run for President, he is not fit to serve as President. He must resign the office immediately. November 5 cannot arrive soon enough,” House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said in a statement shortly after Biden revealed his decision.

New York Rep. Elise Stefanik, the conference chair and fourth-ranking House Republican, added: “If Joe Biden can’t run for re-election, he is unable and unfit to serve as President of the United States. He must immediately resign.”

It was a widespread response within the Republican Party.

Read the full story here.

North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper, who had been floated as a potential presidential or vice presidential pick if Biden dropped out, praised the president.

The Democrat said Biden "stood strong as the rarest type of leader" and "was able to pass transformative legislation" that benefited the nation's economy.

"I'm deeply grateful to call President Joe Biden my friend," Cooper added.

South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem said Joe Biden's withdrawal from the 2024 race is "the right decision for our nation," but added that his replacement "will support the same radical agenda of open borders, unchecked illegal immigration, and woke values that do not appreciate what America stands for."

She then called Trump "the leader America needs to get this country back on the right track."

"Republicans are unified and will work tirelessly to ensure Donald J. Trump wins in November and Makes America Great Again," Noem wrote on X.

Civil rights leader Dolores Huerta, 94, reacting to Biden’s decision to end his presidential campaign, said “this is the dish we’ve been served” and Democrats “must go forward and win the presidency.”

"We can't cry over spilled milk," said Huerta, who has actively campaigned for multiple Democratic presidential candidates.

Huerta was with Robert F. Kennedy, the former U.S. attorney general, when he was assassinated on June 5, 1968, as he campaigned in California for the Democratic nomination. His death contributed to divisions within the party.

Huerta alluded to that mayhem, saying, “I’ve been in this position before and I will be a delegate to this convention.”

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine, a Republican, wished Biden well as he serves out the rest of his term, following the president's announcement to drop out of the 2024 election.

“I have known President Biden since 1995, when I entered the U.S. Senate and served with him on the Senate Judiciary Committee,” DeWine wrote. “Fran and I wish President Biden and the First Lady all the best as he serves out the remainder of his term and in the years ahead.”

Congressional Black Caucus chairman Rep. Steven Horsford, D-Nev., and CBC political action committee chairman Rep. Gregory Meeks, D-N.Y., said they join Biden in “fully supporting” Harris to be the Democratic presidential nominee.

"She has been instrumental in delivering the accomplishments of the last 3.5 years and has led on lowering maternal mortality rates, protecting reproductive freedoms, and ensuring economic opportunities for all," they said in a joint statement. "She will do an excellent job as President of the United States."

The two lawmakers also praised Biden.

J.B. Pritzer, the Democratic governor of Illinois, praised Biden for his “life in service to this nation,” and warned that “we must not ignore the threat posed by Donald Trump’s potential return to the White House.”

Pritzker, who pundits say could be a potential contender for vice president, praised Biden's tenure in office as “one of the most accomplished and effective presidencies of our lifetime,” moving through Covid-19 recovery and a recession.

He said Biden “restored dignity to the Oval Office” and pointed out Trump “is a 34 time convicted felon, adjudicated to have committed sexual assault, a racist, homophobe and misogynist.”

“Trump brags about taking away a woman’s right to choose, wants to rip healthcare away from tens of millions of people, proposes economic policies that will cost the middle class thousands of dollars a year, and threatens the fundamental American ideals we hold dear,” Pritzker wrote. “I will work every day to ensure that he does not win in November.”

Trump, in a post on Truth Social, again called Biden the "Worst President, by far, in the History of our Nation," adding that Biden has "done everything possible to destroy our Country, from our Southern Border, to Energy Dominance, National Security, International Standing, and so much more."

The former president said Biden was "annihilated in an Earth Shattering Debate," which is perhaps the exact turning point in Biden's 2024 campaign.

"He was not fit to serve from the very beginning, but the people around him lied to America about his Complete and Total Mental, Physical, and Cognitive Demise," Trump said. "Whoever the Left puts up now will just be more of the same."

Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said Biden is a "patriotic American who has always put our country first" in a statement posted to X after the president announced that he would no longer seek re-election.

She added, "With love and gratitude to President Biden for always believing in the promise of America and giving people the opportunity to reach their fulfillment."

Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., expressed gratitude to Biden for serving the country with honor but notably did not endorse the vice president in a brief statement posted to X.

"As the first president to ever walk on a picket line with striking workers, he has been the most pro-working class president in modern American history," Sanders wrote. "Thank you, Mr. President, for all you've done."

As many in the Democratic Party have openly called for Biden to step aside, Sanders supported Biden's bid for re-election against a wave of critics.

Bill and Hillary Clinton released a joint statement endorsing Harris while expressing gratitude for Biden for doing what's best for the country.

"We've lived through many ups and downs, but nothing has made us more worried for our country than the threat posed by a second Trump term. ... Now is the time to support Kamala Harris and fight with everything we've got to elect her," the statement from the former president and former Democratic presidential nominee said. "America's future depends on it."

With Biden backing Harris for the Democratic nomination, some Republicans are quickly pivoting to attack her on some of the election's key issues, most notably border security.

"Reminder.. Vice President Harris is in charge of securing the southern border," Rep. Stephanie Bice, R-Okla., wrote on X.

Several other Republican politicians and conservative organizations echoed that sentiment.

"The American ppl are sick & tired of the Biden-Harris open border policies + high cost of living crushing family budgets," Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, wrote on X. "A change in candidate doesn’t fool anyone Changing horses midstream isn’t going to stop the bad policies +reckless agenda at the top of the Democrat ticket."

The National Republican Congressional Committee posted: "Border Czar Kamala Harris was Biden & extreme House Democrats’ enabler in chief."

Maryland's Democratic Senate candidate Angela Alsobrooks posted on X that she is "100%" behind Vice President Kamala Harris for the presidency.

"President Biden knows more than anyone the profound stakes of this election. He knows the grave threat to our freedoms and to the future of our country that Donald Trump and a Republican Senate majority poses," Alsobrooks wrote. "That's why it is paramount that Democrats come together quickly and unite behind a qualified leader."

"Kamala Harris is that leader," Alsobrooks said.

Gov. Jared Polis, D-Colo., posted three emojis that can be taken as a sign he is backing Harris: a coconut, a palm tree and an American flag.

The emojis likely refer to previous remarks by Harris, which are often referenced by her supporters.

“You think you just fell out of a coconut tree?" Harris said in May 2023 remarks. "You exist in the context of all in which you live and what came before you.” 

Presidential historian Jon Meacham said that Biden’s withdrawal from the race is a "singular moment in the history of the American presidency” for a man who “has given the lion’s share of his life to the service of the republic.”

“It is almost without precedent, in the American experiment for a president, to make a decision like this,” Meacham said in an interview with MSNBC’s Katy Tur. “I think it tells us an enormous amount about the character of the incumbent.”

“It tells us a lot about what he truly values — President Biden has decided that this campaign is not about him but about us,” he added. “It’s not about personal ambition, it’s about the durability and viability of the constitutional order that so many of us believe could be in danger as events unfold.”

Meacham urged the public to take a moment to recognize the weight of Biden’s decision.

President Joe Biden announced in a letter to the nation posted on X Sunday that he has decided not to seek re-election, a move that followed mounting pressure from the Democratic Party for him to step aside after his disastrous debate performance last month.

Democratic National Committee Chair Jamie Harrison said in a statement that Democrats will share more about "next steps and a path forward" shortly.

"The work that we must do now, while unprecedented, is clear," he said. "In the coming days, the Party will undertake a transparent and orderly process to move forward as a united Democratic Party with a candidate who can defeat Donald Trump in November. This process will be governed by established rules and procedures of the Party. Our delegates are prepared to take seriously their responsibility in swiftly delivering a candidate to the American people."

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese posted a thank-you to Biden on X, saying that the alliance between the U.S. and Australia has never been stronger, noting a commitment to security, democracy and climate action.

The progressive organization MoveOn endorsed Harris, saying it's "all in on Kamala Harris."

“Vice President Harris is tested and respected, and her voice is critically important at this moment," said Political Action Executive Director Rahna Epting. "MoveOn and our members have her back and believe that those who share our commitment to winning this election and protecting our futures will do everything in their power to lift her up and stop Trump in his tracks."

Epting also said that Biden's decision is "a tremendous personal sacrifice to preserve our democracy."

The Center for American Women and Politics, a research institution out of Rutgers University, this afternoon highlighted the historic nature of a potential Harris nomination for president.

“Should she win the nomination, the nation will watch a multiracial woman compete in a presidential general election for the first time in history,” said CAWP Director Debbie Walsh. “Our research and programming have long been oriented towards changing the perception of power. This transformative moment will forever alter how Americans view leadership in politics.”

"The nation stands at the precipice of electing its first woman president," she added.

Lawrence Romo, 68, who served in the Obama-Biden administration as head of the Selective Service, said he is disappointed Biden is stepping down, “but we have to support democracy.”

“I salute the 50 years of public service that Joe Biden has done for our country. I totally salute him because he represents ethics, integrity and honesty in government and has done what is best for our country,” said Romo, a national delegate to the Democratic convention.

Romo said that as a delegate, he’ll wait for the democratic process to work but personally believes Vice President Kamala Harris should be delegates' first pick as the party’s presidential nominee.

Romo was dubbed Biden’s “most ardent” backer in 2020 by his local newspaper. He helped mobilize and turn out Latino and Black voters in Texas, which Biden won in the 2020 Democratic primary.

Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., said this afternoon that it’s time for the Democratic Party to unite and nominate Harris as its nominee for president.

"I want to express my gratitude to President Biden for his lifelong dedication to improving America," Thompson wrote on X. "While his decision to step down was undoubtedly challenging, I believe it’s time for the Democrats to unite and nominate Vice President Kamala Harris to lead us forward."

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro joined the chorus of Democratic voices showing support for Biden in the moments after he dropped out.

Shapiro, who has been floated as a potential presidential nominee or running mate in the event Biden dropped out of the race, called the president “one of the most consequential presidents in modern history.”

“President Biden has gotten an incredible amount done to move our country forward, defend our democracy, and protect real freedom,” Shapiro wrote in an X statement.

Rep. Stacey Plaskett, a nonvoting delete in the House representing the Virgin Islands, expressed support for Harris for president in a brief post on X.

"#HarrisforPresident," she wrote.

Plaskett served as one of the House managers during Trump's second Senate impeachment trial.

In a second tweet, she said, "Y’all Dems who cried “step down” better keep THATSAMEENERGY you used to run our President Biden out this race to elect @KamalaHarris #Harris2024- sincerely the backbone of the party"

House Democratic Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries praised Biden, saying that "America is a better place today because President Joe Biden has led us with intellect, grace and dignity."

"We are forever grateful," he added.

Jeffries painted Biden as "one of the most accomplished and consequential leaders in American history," pointing to his handling of Covid and the economy and defeating Trump in 2020.

Jeffries did not endorse a successor in the post.

Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear urged the nation to come together as he praised Biden for the last four years and his decision to step aside.

"While his decision today could not have been easy, it is in the best interest of our country, and our party," Beshear said in a statement today. "I want to thank him for his leadership, kindness and for a successful presidency that got big, important things done."

Some political pundits have speculated that Beshear, a Democrat, could be a potential running mate for Harris if she is selected as the party's nominee. The governor noted that Harris as well as Biden led the country through the aftermaths of both the Jan. 6 Capitol riot and the coronavirus pandemic.

"We need to dial down the anger, rancor, and noise," Beshear wrote. "We have an opportunity to remember that we are taught to treat our neighbors as ourselves — and that we are all each other's neighbors."

Biden told his senior team he had changed his mind about staying in the race at 1:45 p.m. today, according to a source with direct knowledge. The message last night had been full speed ahead with his campaign.

Biden's tweet announcing his decision was sent at 1:46 p.m.

Rep. Nanette Barragán, chairwoman of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, said in a post on X that 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," she wrote.

She added, "Democrats will work to ensure his legacy is secure and will support @POTUS and @VP Kamala Harris as the party moves forward, unified, in our efforts to put the American people over politics."

House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., slammed Democrats after Biden's announcement, saying “they have absolutely no respect for their own voters.”

“After lecturing others about democracy, they just forced Joe Biden off the ticket, trashing the primary choice of 14 million of their own voters,” Scalise said.

“It is not just Biden-Harris who have been polling so poorly, it is their entire administration’s failed, extreme agenda that is crushing hard-working families, causing record inflation, the worst border crisis in our lifetime, and chaos around the world,” he added.

Sen. Mazie Hirono, D-Hawaii, said in a statement that Harris has "played a critical role in the progress we've made" and has demonstrated she can lead the Democratic Party.

"In the Senate, I saw firsthand what a fierce, committed, and effective champion Kamala is for the American people," she said. "I’m proud to call Vice President Harris a friend and colleague, and I look forward to doing everything in my power to get her elected to the White House, so we can continue building on the progress of the last four years.”

Jamie Yu, a 27-year-old Democrat in Phoenix, said she was not angered by Biden’s decision to drop his re-election bid.

“I’m not upset necessarily,” Yu said.

“I was voting for him because I don’t want to vote for Donald Trump, I don’t want him in office,” Yu added, saying she was never enthusiastic about Biden’s candidacy.

Donald Trump Jr. criticized Kamala Harris in a statement posted to X, saying the only difference between her and Biden is that she is "even more liberal and less competent than Joe," referring to the president.

He added, "She was put in charge of the border and we saw the worst invasion of illegals in our history!!!"

DNC Chair Jaime Harrison addressed Biden's decision during a committee meeting on Sunday, saying that he is "emotional."

"I'm emotional because I am still, still riding with Biden. I still support my president," Harrison said. "And we will get through this, my friends, as we always do. So I just wanted to put that on record, that I love Joe Biden, and I’m so appreciative of his leadership over these years."