US President Joe Biden announced his decision to withdraw from the 2024 presidential race, stating it was in the best interest of his party and the country.
“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 letter posted to his personal account on X.
At 81, Biden faced mounting calls to leave the race but had previously insisted he was the only person capable of defeating Donald Trump.
In his announcement, Biden endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris as his preferred successor, offering “my full support and endorsement for Kamala to be the nominee of our party this year.”
Biden expressed his gratitude for the opportunity to serve, saying, “It has been the greatest honour of my life to serve as your President. I will speak to the Nation later this week in more detail about my decision.”
The decision is unprecedented in modern US history, as no presidential nominee has dropped out this close to an election.
The selection of Biden’s replacement will be confirmed at the Democratic National Convention, beginning on August 19.
Delegates to the convention will formally vote to anoint the party’s candidate. There is also the possibility of a roll-call vote in a virtual event weeks before the election.
Biden had previously secured almost 3,900 of the party’s 4,000 delegates after sweeping the Democratic primary, facing only a minor challenge from Congressman Dean Phillips.
According to the Democratic rule book, these delegates are expected to “reflect the sentiment of those who elected them.” However, with Biden stepping down, delegates are now free to vote as they choose, potentially deciding an alternative candidate is better positioned.
Harris will need support from party leaders and other potential candidates to secure the nomination. If any other Democrat believes they have a better chance than Harris, especially given her lower polling against Trump compared to several other potential candidates, they would need to secure the signatures of 600 delegates to be nominated as a potential candidate.
