Utah reacts to President Biden dropping out

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah ( ABC4 ) — It was a shock to many when President Joe Biden decided to drop out of the 2024 Presidential race.

Executive Director of the Utah Democratic Party Thom DeSirant said he’s supporting the president’s decision. He said, “We have to trust President Biden. President Biden has made what he believes is the right choice and I’m going to trust him on this.”

Rep. Angela Romero is one of the more than 3,800 delegates pledged to President Biden. She said she’s already made up her mind. She explained, “My plan as a delegate, because I am a delegate, is to support my president and support his endorsement of our current vice president, Kamala Harris. And I have no reservations about that support. I know she can lead our country and she can bring our country together.”

On the other side of the aisle, Utah GOP Chairman Robert Axson said Democrats will have to answer for this late switch. He believes the president didn’t change over the last several months, and a full primary process would have been more fair to voters and potential other candidates.

“That’s a very different scenario than having an open, fair process where any interested candidate can jump in and run for president. And then you let the pieces fall where they may,” said Axon. “I mean, let’s look. We have a very capable independent candidate running for president in America right now who initially started running as a Democrat, but he was locked out of the process.”

Axson believes Republicans shouldn’t focus on who will replace Biden, but continue spreading the message as to why their candidates are better.

“The Utah Republican Party certainly, and even the Republican Party nationally up to and including President Trump’s candidacy, will be in its best position as we articulate a vision of what the future holds and what it would look like under Republican leadership,” he said.

The democratic convention begins Monday, August 19.

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