How are Texas leaders reacting to Biden withdrawing from presidential race?

AUSTIN (KXAN/Nexstar) — President Joe Biden’s announcement to drop out of the 2024 presidential race is causing a wide range of reactions from elected officials across the nation.

Biden stated he will no longer seek reelection, saying dropping out would be best for the Democratic Party. The president said he will focus on finishing his current presidential term. Sunday’s bombshell announcement is drawing a variety of reactions from political leaders.

The president swiftly followed up on his announcement with an official endorsement of his running mate, Vice President Kamala Harris.

Harris said she is “honored” Biden endorsed her in a statement and praised him for what she calls “extraordinary” leadership.

“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.”

Pressure on the president to exit the race had been growing rapidly in less than a month, following what many Democrats described as a “disappointing” performance in the first debate with former President Donald Trump — Republicans’ nominee for president.

Calls for Democrats to coalesce around a new nominee for November began to pick up after longtime Austin Congressman Llyod Doggett became the first member on Capitol Hill to publicly ask Biden to drop out .

How are Texas Democrats reacting?

Doggett expressed gratitude for Biden’s decision. In a statement online, Doggett called the announcement “courageous.”

“Once again President Biden comes through for America, putting country over ego in a way that Donald Trump never could,” he said. “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 also said he believes Vice President Kamala Harris should be the new leading candidate for the race.

State Rep. James Talarico, D-Austin, said he would like to see Harris at the top of the ticket this November. However, he said this moment should also be about honoring Biden.

“I thought it was a stunning act of patriotism,” Talarico said Sunday. “President Biden is putting the good of the country over his own personal ambitions, and it’s something that Donald Trump would never do. It just shows that with President Biden, it’s always country first and so I just couldn’t be prouder of our president, of the Democratic Party and of this democracy for responding to the needs of the people and putting our nation ahead of the needs of one individual.”

Talarico also speculated about how Harris possibly becoming the Democratic presidential nominee could affect other races in Texas.

“I think just in the last couple hours, Vice President Harris’ candidacy is energizing Democrats across the state of Texas, across the country,” he said. “It’s also energizing people who may not belong to the Democratic Party, but don’t want to see a second Trump administration and know the danger that Donald Trump poses to our democracy.”

On Sunday evening, State Rep. Gina Hinojosa, D-Austin, posted on X that she also plans to support Harris’ candidacy. She noted Harris met with several of the Texas House Democrats in 2021 when they left Austin to go to D.C. in an attempt to sink new voting measures pushed by Republicans. The measures eventually ended up passing once the Democrats returned to Texas.

“When TX House Democrats took our fight for voting rights to DC we had no bigger backer than @VP,” Hinojosa wrote on social media. “@KamalaHarris gets it. She knows the stakes & knows us. While some natl Dems write off TX, @VP has repeatedly empowered Texans & that’s why #ImWithHer.” ⁦

Austin’s Mayor Kirk Watson shared his support for Biden by saying , “I’m proud of President Biden for doing what he believes is best for America, and ready to get to work for our new Democratic ticket. Let’s go!”

Despite pressure from a growing number of high-ranking Democrats, not everyone in the party wanted Biden to step aside from the race.

U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett of Dallas shared her frustration with the president’s announcement, saying the blame should be on Democrats, not Biden.

“I know one thing, I will only work for @KamalaHarris ! If it’s anyone OTHER than her, enjoy campaign season… I hope all of my disenchanted colleagues are able to find some walking shoes and get to work because I WILL NOT!”

Austin Congressman Greg Casar thanked Biden for his service to the country, in posts on his social media accounts .

“He united Democrats to save our democracy from Trump and our economy from COVID. He stood up to corporations and protected workers like no other president in my lifetime,” Casar said.

Casar also shared in a statement his support for Vice President Kamala Harris saying,
“I am ready to elect Vice President Kamala Harris as President.”

Beto O’Rourke, who previously served as a U.S. representative for Texas, said in a statement that Democrats must focus on “defeating Donald Trump” and “rally behind the new Democratic presidential nominee.”

“It’s not just the White House on the line, but control of the U.S. House and Senate, as well as many important state and local positions,” O’Rourke continued in his statement.

How are Texas Republicans reacting?

Gov. Greg Abbott said he will ramp up Texas’ physical border security infrastructure if Harris becomes president. In a separate post, Abbott implied he thinks Biden should step down from his role right now.

“If Biden is unfit to run FOR the presidency, he is unfit to run THE presidency,” the governor said. “A change in the oval office is essential – immediately – to ensure the safety of Americans and the security of our country.”

Longtime Trump ally, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, simply shared , “Trump for the Win!” on social media.

Former Texas Land Commissioner George P. Bush — grandson of former president George H.W. Bush and nephew of former president George W. Bush — applauded Biden for making this decision.

“While Joe Biden’s announcement today is stunning, it’s the right thing for the country. America deserves two candidates who are up to the task of doing the world’s most demanding job for the next four years,” he said.

Speaker of the Texas House Dade Phelan took to social media platform X to say, “President Biden’s decision confirms what Republicans have known for a long time: the Biden-Harris Administration is unfit for four more years in the White House.”

Phelan also said replacing Biden at this point in the presidential race “has created chaos and division” and called upon Republicans to “unite as a party to elect strong conservative leaders up and down the ballot this November.”

This is a developing story, check back for updates. Capitol Correspondent Ryan Chandler will have a report on reactions from Texas officials on KXAN at 10 p.m.

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