Taylor County reacts to Biden's departure

In the wake of President Joe Biden's departure Sunday from the presidential race , how have locals responded and what can we expect in the fall?

David Dillman, Taylor County Democratic Party chairman, and democratic-hopeful Linda Goolsbee, who is running for the Texas House of Representatives for District 71 this fall, provided some insight.

Both seemed energized and excited when speaking about the possibility of Vice President Kamala Harris being on the democratic ticket as the best possibility after Biden's exit just 107 days before Election Day .

Chris Carnohan, chairman of the Taylor County Republican Party, and Congressman Jodey Arrington felt differently, however.

Carnohan said, "It was obvious he wasn't fully functional as a president."

'Good for the nation'

Dillman sounded disheartened in a phone interview Monday as he described his opinion on Biden stepping down from the race.

"Personally, I think it's sad for a variety of reasons," Dillman said. "It tells us who we are as a country in dealing with people of old age."

He sounded hopeful, however, as he noted that it is "probably the best outcome" for the presidential race.

"It's good for the nation; it indicates his character and concerns for the country," Dillman said.

He went on to say that the "comparison between Biden and Trump is like night and day," but that he thinks that "Democrats have to pull together" at this time.

Calls for resignation

After condemning Biden's border policies in an interview with the Reporter-News, Republican Congressman Jodey Arrington said Monday in a released statement that “Democrats have now embraced what many of us have said for years, Joe Biden is unfit to serve. How many of his string of self-inflicted crises could have been avoided? Who is really in charge?"

Arrington called for Biden's resignation.

“With record crime and inflation, international conflicts and threats of world war, and a nation teetering on stagnation and a sovereign debt crisis, I expect my Democrat colleagues’ support in calling for President Biden to resign immediately," Arrington said Monday.

'Exciting for Democratic interests'

Dillman sounded hopeful, on the other hand, as he spoke of the possibility of Harris on the ballot this November.

She "will be a very good candidate and an important candidate historically for who she is," he said Monday.

"It's very exciting for Democratic interests, young people, people of color and women, especially those concerned with reproductive health."

Goolsbee echoed the same sentiment, saying that it is "wonderful that she will be stepping up."

She said, "Harris has learned a great deal being his partner for the last four years in getting everything done that they did."

'The handwriting was on the wall'

Carnohan of the Republican Party said in response to Harris' potentially being on the presidential ballot, "I can't believe that America would want another four years of high inflation, high gas prices and high mortgage rates."

He said, "Her main job was the border, why was she so poor at it?"

Carnohan said in a phone interview Monday, "We're not in good shape at the border and everybody knows it."

Carnohan said, "The handwriting was on the wall after that debate debacle or catastrophe."

He added, "The Democrats started rallying the troops and got it done" after Biden stepped down.

Republican state Rep. Stan Lambert of House District 71 had a similar statement.

"Frankly, it doesn’t matter who is at the top of the Democrat ticket. Their policies have failed the American people. Under the current Democratic White House, there has been a complete dereliction of duty at our southern border," Lambert said.

"Whether it's Joe Biden, Kamala Harris, or any other Democrat being mentioned as a possible nominee, the American people know it is time for a change," he said.

Lambert recently beat out Liz Case in the primary to get his name on the Republican ballot this November.

Goolsbee and Lambert will face off on Election Day.

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This article originally appeared on Abilene Reporter-News: Taylor County reacts to Biden's departure