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USA TODAY
Live updates: Kamala Harris vs. Donald Trump upends the 2024 race for president
By Dan Morrison, Michael Collins, Karissa Waddick, Rachel Barber and Sudiksha Kochi, USA TODAY,
2 hours ago
WASHINGTON ― Americans woke up Monday to an upended presidential campaign after President Joe Biden dropped his troubled reelection bid and endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris as his successor in the Democratic Party's race to stop Donald Trump from regaining the White House.
Biden, 81, who faced a wellspring of pressure to leave the race after he appeared disoriented at a televised debate with Trump last month, passed the torch to Harris, who soon announced her bid for the party's nomination. Behind the scenes, the Biden campaign machine switched gears to benefit the vice president.
Trump, 78, reckoned with a new November opponent , one almost 20 years his junior, as some Democratic donors celebrated what one called the "shot of adrenaline" Harris could bring to the pivotal race.
"Now we have to start all over again," Trump complained in a Truth Social post Sunday evening.
Follow along with USA TODAY's live updates.
Who is Mark Kelly?
Arizona’s junior senator and former astronaut Mark Kelly quickly cast his support for Harris as nominee Sunday, fueling speculation that he could be tapped to become her running mate.
Kelly, 60, has been in Congress since 2020. He is married to former Rep. Gabby Giffords, D-Ariz., who was shot and severely injured at a public event in 2011.
While the rest of the political world tries to figure out the new realities, Trump took to social media to mock Biden for pulling out of the presidential race.
"He loses the Debate badly, then panics, and makes mistake after mistake, is told he can’t win, and decide they will pick another candidate, probably Harris," Trump said in a series of Truth Social posts. "They stole the race from Biden after he won it in the primaries - A First!"
Questions surrounding Biden's candidacy spiked after his disastrous debate performance against Trump last month. He did win Democratic primaries across the country earlier this year.
House Democratic Whip Katherine Clark D-Mass., and House Democratic Caucus Chair Pete Aguilar, D-Calif., the No. 2 and No. 3 ranking House Democrats, respectively, endorsed Harris on Monday morning.“While Donald Trump campaigns on dividing the American people and rigging the system for the rich, Kamala Harris will grow the economy by growing the middle class and defend our core principles of democracy and justice for all,” Clark said in a statement.Aguilar said in a statement he will “do everything I can to elect Kamala Harris the 47th President of the United States.” Harris is quickly locking up support from congressional Democrats for her campaign. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., has yet to weigh in though. – Ken Tran
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear endorses Harris
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear suggested Monday he would be open to joining the Democratic presidential ticket as Harris’ running mate.
“If somebody calls you on that, what you do is at least listen,” Beshear said during an interview on MSNBC’s "Morning Joe."
Beshear, often mentioned as a potential candidate for president or vice president, endorsed Harris for president and pledged to do everything he can to support her. Harris “is smart and strong, which will make her a good president,” he said, “but she's also kind and has empathy, which can make her a great president. The contrast between her and those running on the other side couldn't be clearer.”
Beshear, who is in second term as Kentucky governor, said while it’s flattering to be mentioned as a possible vice presidential candidate, “the only way I would consider something other than this current job is if I believed I could further help my people and to help this country.”
–Michael Collins
Hunter Biden shares emotional post on his father
Hunter Biden, son of Joe Biden, gave an emotional tribute to his father after he dropped out of the 2024 presidential race Sunday.
“For my entire life, I've looked at my dad in awe. How could he suffer so much heartache and yet give so much of whatever remained of his heart to others?” Hunter Biden wrote. “Not only in the policies he passed, but in the individual lives he's touched.”
He said that over a lifetime, he’s seen his father “absorb the pain of countless everyday Americans who he's given his personal phone number to, because he wanted them to call him when they were hurting.”
“That unconditional love has been his North Star as a President, and as a parent. He is unique in public life today in that there is no distance between Joe Biden the man and Joe Biden the public servant of the last 54 years,” Hunter Biden wrote. “I'm so lucky every night I get to tell him I love him, and to thank him.”
−Sudiksha Kochi
Who is Gavin Newsom ?
Gavin Newsom has served as California governor since 2019.
Newsom had been seen as a potential presidential candidate to replace Biden, until the 56-year-old came out in support of Harris Sunday evening. Now, he’s on the rumored list for running mate and is expected to play a major role in rallying Democratic voters around the vice president.
− Savannah Kuchar
Is Michelle Obama running for president?
No, former first lady Michelle Obama is not running.
She’s said previously that she’s not interested in running for the position. In a statement to NBC News in March, before Biden dropped out, her office said that, “As former First Lady Michelle Obama has expressed several times over the years, she will not be running for president. Mrs. Obama supports President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris’ re-election campaign.”
You can read Joe Biden's statement on dropping out in full here.
−James Powel
Who is Josh Shapiro?
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro took office January 2023, after serving as Pennsylvania’s attorney general and as a state representative.
The 51-year-old has been floated as a possible running mate for Harris given his appeal in a battleground state – counter to Trump’s VP and Ohio Sen. JD Vance.
Trump is 78 years old. He is currently the oldest candidate running for president, after Biden dropped out of the race. He formally received the GOP nomination last week at the Republican convention.
According to a 538 average of polls , Kamala Harris has a disapproval rating of 50.4% and an approval rating of 38.6%. Still, those numbers are based on Americans' attitude toward Harris before she launched her second presidential bid, so they could change in the coming weeks and months.
In Oakland, Calfornia, grocery store checker Erica Guthrie burst into tears when she heard the news. In Philadelphia, the Rev. Carl Day says we're living in "the worst reality TV show in the world right now."
And in Colorado, stormchaser Jen Walton wants a vacation "from unprecedented times."
After months of a seemingly inevitable clash between two long-known and well-understood presidential candidates, President Joe Biden's Sunday decision to halt his reelection effort upended both the campaign and the day-to-day lives of Americans still reeling from the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump the weekend before.
It all comes atop years of nonstop political turmoil, and many Americans say they're exhausted, excited, anxious and baffled, sometimes all at once.
− Trevor Hughes, Terry Collins and Lauren Villagran
West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin says he won’t seek the Democratic nomination for president.
Manchin, an independent who left the Democratic Party in May, reportedly had considered registering again as a Democrat and seeking the party’s presidential nomination after Biden announce he won’t run for a second term.
But Manchin told CBS News on Monday he’s not running. “I’m not going to be a candidate for president…,” he said. “I don’t need that in my life.”
She fulfills all the requirements needed to run for president, which is that a candidate must be 35 years or older, a natural born U.S. citizen and a resident of the U.S. for 14 years. Harris is 59 years old and she was born in California.
Some polls show Harris beating Trump by one or two points and others showing her almost neck in neck with the former president.
A Washington Post/ABC News/Ipsos poll conducted between July 5 and July 9, found that 49% of registered voters would choose Harris while 47% would choose Trump.
But an NBC News poll conducted after the debate found Trump leading Harris 47% to 45% among registered voters. Likewise, a Fox News poll conducted between July 7 and July 10 found that 48% of registered voters would choose Harris if the election were held today compared to 49% for Trump.
Two of President Biden’s Cabinet secretaries – Attorney General Merrick Garland and Alejandro Mayorkas, secretary of Homeland Secretary – praised his leadership for following the rule of law and protecting the country.
The praise contrasted with years of Republican attacks against Biden and his administration. Republicans have investigated the president’s son, Hunter Biden, who was convicted of gun charges and who still faces tax charges. Biden didn’t block the prosecutions.
Biden sat for an interview with a special counsel for investigated how classified documents were found at his home and former office. Republicans are fighting for the recording of the interview, despite the Justice Department releasing the transcript.
“From the beginning of his tenure, President Biden has made clear in both word and deed that he stands for the rule of law and for the Justice Department’s critical mission to protect the safety and the civil rights of everyone in our country,” said Garland, who was held in contempt by the House after refusing to release the recording.
Republicans have also accused the administration of weakening border security, allowing unprecedented waves of undocumented immigrants to enter. But Mayorkas said the country and world are better for Biden’s leadership in protecting the American people.
“When it comes to homeland security, he has taken and directed bold, innovative, and decisive actions to help safeguard our communities, secure our borders, harness the power of artificial intelligence, advance our cybersecurity, eradicate the scourge of fentanyl, and more – all while standing up for our nation’s values,” said Mayorkas, who was impeached by the House over border security. “It is a privilege to advance his vision of and for a strong, secure, and prosperous America.”
The Democratic Party won’t officially name its presidential nominee until its convention in August, but Harris is the immediate frontrunner.
Biden, who chosen Harris as his vice presidential running mate four years ago, emphatically endorsed her to be the party’s nominee in a social media post Sunday shortly after announcing his decision to step out of the 2024 race.
Some other prominent Democrats also endorsed her, including Bill and Hillary Clinton. Others, including Barack Obama, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries issued statements lauding Biden but without explicitly endorsing Harris to succeed him.
Harris, however, has several advantages. She has already been vetted for national office during her tenure as Biden’s second-in-command. She has also been a part of Biden’s reelection apparatus for months.
Biden endorsed Harris to become the Democratic nominee for president, but it’s the party’s 3,896 delegates who will pick their candidate.
Delegates can vote for someone other than Biden even if he won their states’ primaries earlier this year.
That's possible because of a section in the DNC rules referred to as the "good conscience" clause, which states delegates shall "in all good conscience reflect the sentiments of those who elected them." The word “sentiment” is where much of the delegates' support will hinge and opens the door to interpretation.
So delegates could vote for Biden, Harris or someone else. There is no system to automatically transfer the delegates from Biden to Harris.
Harris’ husband, Douglas Emhoff, has offered his thoughts on Biden’s withdrawal from the race.
“I am deeply grateful to @POTUS and @FLOTUS for their years of friendship and support,” the second gentleman wrote on X, formerly Twitter. “President Biden is a true patriot who leads our nation with honesty, decency, and integrity. Alongside @VP, they have fought tirelessly for families and communities, delivering for Americans across our nation. I am so proud of their accomplishments and thankful for their leadership.”
WASHINGTON, DC - JULY 21: Correspondents use the White House Briefing Room to file reports of U.S. President Joe Biden's decision not to seek re-election on July 21, 2024 in Washington, DC. With four months until election day, Biden endorsed his running mate Vice President Kamala Harris to be the Democratic Party nominee. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) Chip Somodevilla, Getty Images
Trump’s running mate J.D. Vance criticized Biden's and Harris’ tenure in office in a statement Sunday.
The Ohio senator, 39, called Biden the “worst” president of his lifetime and said Harris “has been right there with him every step of the way.”
“President Trump and I are ready to save America, whoever's at the top of the Democrat ticket. Bring it on," Vance said in a post on X, formerly Twitter.
Independent candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. praised Biden for stepping out of the 2024 race.
“His infirmities were evident to any unbiased observer from the beginning," Kennedy said on social media. "It was this progressive deterioration — and his abandonment of Democratic Party principles — that prompted me to enter the race and ensure American voters had a viable, vigorous alternative to Donald Trump.”
He also called on the Democratic Party to “return to its traditional commitment to democracy and exemplify it with an open process.”
−Sudiksha Kochi
When will Biden address the nation?
Americans can expect to hear more from Biden in the coming days, the president said in his announcement withdrawing from the race.
"I will speak to the nation later this week in more to detail about my decision," he wrote.
On the heels of Biden's decision to end his bid for reelection amid intense pressure from scores of his own party leaders, all eyes are now on Chicago, where the Democratic National Convention is set to kick off next month.
The DNC is slated to take place Aug. 19 through Aug. 22.
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