Biden ends reelection bid, endorses Kamala Harris

Vice President Kamala Harris and President Joe Biden

Kamala Harris' campaign raised over $50 million by Sunday night

(Image credit: Michael Reynolds / EPA / Bloomberg via Getty Images)

published 22 July 2024

What happened

President Joe Biden upended the 2024 presidential race Sunday by extinguishing his reelection bid. He gave his "full support and endorsement" to Vice President Kamala Harris to replace him atop the Democratic ticket.

Biden said while it had been his "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." Harris said she was "honored" to have Biden's endorsement and intended to "earn and win this nomination" and "unite the Democratic Party" to "defeat Donald Trump."

Biden's withdrawal "brings a stunning end to one of the longest and most consequential careers in modern American politics," The Wall Street Journal said. But "many Democrats felt a palpable sense of enthusiasm and relief" after "nearly a month of internal battles" following Biden's disastrous debate against Trump, The New York Times said. Rank-and-file Democrats responded with an "avalanche of cash," pouring more than $50 million into the campaign by Sunday night through ActBlue.

"Powerful leaders of the Democratic establishment," including several potential rivals, "quickly embraced" Harris, appearing to give her a "glide path to the nomination," the Times said. But "not all Democrats were pushing for a coronation." The party's "dilemma," Dan Balz said at The Washington Post, is "how they elevate Harris in a process that is seen as open and fair" but doesn't "devolve into chaos and division."

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Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.