Western New York politicians react to Biden dropping out of 2024 presidential race

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — President Joe Biden announced in a social media post Sunday he is withdrawing from the 2024 race following weeks of mounting pressure from within the Democratic Party.

Biden’s decision comes on the heels of a poor debate performance that prompted many rank-and-file lawmakers to urge him to withdraw from the race. The president said he will address the American people later this week “in more detail about my decision.” He went on to endorse Vice President Kamala Harris for the Democratic nomination in a follow-up social media post.

Several Western New York and state politicians from both major parties reacted to Biden’s decision Sunday, including Democrat and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, who said the president’s decision to step down “shows (he is) a true patriot and great American.”

“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 a statement. “His decision of course was not easy, but he once again put his country, his party, and our future first.”

Schumer’s colleague, Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, offered a similar sentiment on Biden, saying the president has “served our country with courage, compassion, integrity and decency.”

“President Biden has improved the lives of millions of Americans and leaves behind a legacy that will echo for generations,” Gillibrand said in a statement. “On behalf of myself and every New Yorker: Thank you, Joe.”

Governor Kathy Hochul said in a statement that Biden’s decision “required great courage” and “patriotism.” She also endorsed Harris for president in the statement.

“When President Biden picked Kamala Harris to be his Vice President he unleashed incredible excitement for a new generation of political leadership,” Hochul said. “That same energy will carry us to November 5 with Vice President Harris leading our ticket.”

Rep. Tim Kennedy (NY-26) said in a post on X that Biden “made a choice … to put the country above himself. We are forever grateful to President Biden for a lifetime of service fighting for families, and leading our country out of the darkness to preserve the soul of our nation.”

In a statement, Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown thanked Biden for “his dedication to our country and his strong support for the City of Buffalo.”

“I’m honored to have worked with him to continue to grow our city, enhance public safety and utilize federal funds to improve Buffalo’s infrastructure,” Brown said. “I will always be grateful for President Biden’s presence and incredible compassion after the terrible 5/14 racially motivated mass shooting.”

While Democrats praised President Biden, prominent Republicans in Western New York called on the president to step down from his post immediately.

Rep. Claudia Tenney (NY-24) took to X to call on Biden to resign, saying he should “end this national embarrassment.”

She also responded to Biden offering his support to Vice President Harris, calling it “a clap back at the Democrats who forced him out in a calculated attempt to undermine the millions of Democrat primary voters who supported Biden.”

Rep. Nick Langworthy (NY-23) echoed Tenney’s demand in a post on X, saying that “If Joe Biden is not fit to run for President, he is not fit to serve as President.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Adam Gorski is a Buffalo native who joined the WIVB News 4 team in 2022. You can find more of his work here .