Michigan Gov. Whitmer reacts to Biden dropping out of presidential race

(CBS DETROIT) - Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer released a statement after President Biden announced he was dropping out of the 2024 presidential election on Sunday.

Whitmer issued the following statement on X after Mr. Biden's announcement:

"President Biden is a great public servant who knows better than anyone what it takes to defeat Donald Trump. His remarkable work to lower prescription drug costs, fix the damn roads, bring supply chains home, address climate change, and ensure America's global leadership over decades will go down in history. My job in this election will remain the same: doing everything I can to elect Democrats and stop Donald Trump, a convicted felon whose agenda of raising families' costs, banning abortion nationwide, and abusing the power of the White House to settle his own scores is completely wrong for Michigan."

Whitmer joined other Michigan officials reacting to the president dropping out of the race.

The announcement comes after many Democratic lawmakers expressed concern over Mr. Biden's health after his performance in the presidential debate. Despite calls for him to step down, Whitmer remained steadfast in supporting him during his campaign.

This also comes a month before the Democratic National Convention in Chicago. Within hours of announcing his withdrawal, Mr. Biden has endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris as a top contender to replace him. While Whitmer has not officially announced any endorsements, other Michigan lawmakers have announced their endorsement with the vice president.

In his statement on Sunday , Kildee said Harris is "uniquely qualified to serve as President of the United States."

CBS News has reported on a list of lawmakers, including Whitmer, who could be considered for the Democratic nomination and frontrunners to become vice president. Despite the governor's name being widely mentioned since the debate, she has repeatedly said that she is not seeking to run for president and even reiterated on Sunday her role in this election.