‘Completely unprecedented’: Utah expert reacts on Biden’s decision to drop out

SALT LAKE CITY ( ABC4 ) — When Jason Perry, the director of the University of Utah’s Hinckley Institute of Politics , saw the news that President Joe Biden was dropping his re-election bid, he knew the country was heading into uncharted political waters.

“This is completely unprecedented in American history,” he told ABC4. “Never have we seen someone do a move like this so close to the conventions that are coming forward, particularly as we get ready to look toward November.”

On Sunday, Biden announced that he was exiting the race for the White House, and he endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris to be his successor. In the last 24 hours, additional endorsements from top Democrats have flooded in for Harris, but it’s yet unclear if she’ll be challenged ahead of the Democratic National Convention , which is slated for Aug. 19-22 in Chicago.

“It’s up to the delegates now,” Perry said, noting that the delegates pledged to Biden will be released from their obligation.

However, hundreds of delegates from a number of states, such as Florida and the Carolinas, have already moved to back Harris, The New York Times reported on Monday , noting that tens of millions of dollars are also flooding into the Harris campaign. The Hill reported that Harris broke a 24-hour fundraising record, amassing $81 million in the hours since Biden stepped aside.

So how are Republicans responding? According to Perry, the Trump campaign was looking forward to a rematch with Biden, as some recent polling showed Trump beating the current president come November. But as it’s still unclear who the Democratic candidate will be, it’s difficult to say how the Trump campaign’s plans will shift moving forward.

“If they have to have a new strategy really depends on who that person is that comes forward,” Perry said. “If it is Kamala Harris, that’s a name they know and it’s a name they’ve already been polling about.”

In the coming weeks, many questions will be answered. Perry is among those eager to see how it all plays out.

“You cannot write a story like this,” he said. “Let’s just see what happens next.”

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