Joe Biden updates: Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego endorses Kamala Harris

Corrections & Clarifications: An earlier version of this article incorrectly attributed a quote from U.S. Rep. Raúl Grijalva to U.S. Rep. Greg Stanton.

President Joe Biden ended his bid for reelection Sunday and offered his "full support and endorsement" to Kamala Harris to be the Democratic Party nominee.

The move puts the Democrats in uncharted territory one week after an assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump, the Republican nominee. Will the Democrats coalesce around Harris? Who will be her vice-presidential nominee? What will this mean for battleground state Arizona?

U.S. Sen. Mark Kelly's name has been floated as a possibility. The senator from Arizona, husband to former U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, had supported the Biden-Harris ticket and not withdrawn his support from the president.

Follow updates from Arizona Republic and USA Today Network reporters here.

How did Kelly, Gallego react to Biden’s announcement?

U.S. Sen. Mark Kelly said in a written statement that it takes "great humility to make the difficult decision" that President Biden has made to not seek reelection.

"(Biden) led us out of a pandemic, took historic steps to bring back microchip and clean energy manufacturing and rebuild our infrastructure, and he has strengthened our alliances and made our country safer," Kelly said.

Shortly after praising Biden's decision to step down, Kelly posted to X his endorsement for Vice President Kamala Harris as the nomination for the Democratic ticket.

"(Harris) is the right person to defeat Donald Trump and lead our country into the future," Kelly said. "Gabby and I will do everything we can to elect her President of the United States."

Gabrielle Giffords is Kelly's wife and former U.S. representative from Arizona. In 2011, Giffords was the target of an assassination attempt near Tucson that killed six, including an 8-year-old girl and a federal judge, and wounded 18, plus Giffords, who sustained a near-fatal gunshot wound to her head.

Giffords and Kelly were among the first to condemn political violence after news broke of the assassination attempt on Trump.

U.S. Rep. Ruben Gallego issued a statement on Sunday lauding Biden for his work to pass the Violence Against Women Act as a senator, his fight to find a cure for cancer with his Cancer Moonshot as vice president, his work to cut prescription drugs and create more jobs as president.

"He put his country first today, as he has throughout his tenure as a public servant," Gallego said.

Gallego, a U.S. Senate candidate, had said on Thursday that Biden needed to prove he can do the job if he stays in on the top of the Democratic ticket. Gallego's comments didn't go as far as his Democratic colleagues on Capitol Hill, Reps. Raúl Grijalva and Greg Stanton. Both recently called for Biden to step aside.

On Sunday, Gallego said that Arizona is at a crossroads and that abortion rights, water security, caring for veterans, and more are now on the line.

"That's why I will spend the next 107 days laser-focused on defeating Kari Lake and her dangerous plans to ban abortion, endanger seniors' Medicare, and hurt Arizona families," Gallego said.

Gallego is running against Lake for the senate seat that will be up for grabs after Sen. Kyrsten Sinema's decision not to run for reelection. Mark Lamb is also vying for the GOP nomination.

— L. M. Boyd

Chandler resident: Biden dropping out will 'help Trump'

Ken Willis, a Chandler resident, was visiting Scottsdale Fashion Square on Sunday after learning of Biden’s announcement.

“I’m glad he did it, and I’m not shocked,” said Ken Willis, who was proudly wearing a “Make America Great Again” hat and a shirt that read, “Jesus is my savior, Trump is my president.”

“It’ll help Trump. The Democrats don’t like her,” he said, referring to Vice President Kamala Harris.

— Annie Goodykoontz

Phoenix mayor endorses Harris

Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego, who was on President Joe Biden’s reelection advisory committee, endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris after Biden announced Sunday afternoon he would not continue his campaign.

In a series of posts on X , Gallego said: “The upcoming election is a critical one— and we have a clear choice: revert to another disastrous Trump presidency and slide back from the progress we’ve made, or continue to build on the momentum and achievements of the last four years under the Biden-Harris Administration.

“I choose the latter. The future I want for our country is one where seniors can enjoy low costs on their medications, where combatting climate change is an urgent priority, and where the American Dream is achievable for all families—not just the wealthy few.

“That’s why I wholeheartedly support @KamalaHarris, who I know will continue to deliver results for all of us, and stand ready to do whatever it takes to elect her to the White House.”

— Taylor Seely

Support builds for Kamala Harris, but there's still a way to challenge

Democratic heavyweights helped throw their support behind Vice President Kamala Harris ascending to the top of the party’s presidential ticket on Sunday, but it’s still at least possible for now that she could face a challenge at the national convention.

Any challenge must be made in writing no later than the day before the convention begins, Aug. 19, according to rules adopted by the party two years ago . The challenger must agree to be in the running, which eliminates the possibility of a “draft” movement for any candidate.

And, importantly, a challenger needs the support of at least 300 delegates. No state can provide more than 50.

Arizona, for example, has 85 delegates; California has 495, according to the Green Papers , a website that tracks the delegate counts.

Biden won about 95% of the Democrats’ pledged delegates during the primary selection process.

Any of a handful of Democratic governors could mount a challenge, though none of them indicated they were even considering it in their immediate response to Biden’s decision. Those governors, coming from Kentucky, Michigan, North Carolina and Pennsylvania, are viewed as in the running for the vice-presidential pick by Harris.

U.S. Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., who is also a VP possibility , pointedly supported the Biden-Harris ticket until Biden’s decision and then he said he was backing Harris.

— Ronald J. Hansen

Read Vice President Kamala Harris' statement

Vice President Kamala Harris thanked President Joe Biden for his "extraordinary leadership" and "decades of service to our country" in a 300-word statement Sunday, on a day of momentous announcements and fast-moving developments.

Earlier, Biden announced he was dropping out of his bid for a second term, which he followed up with a strong endorsement of his vice president. Democrats must now choose a candidate at their convention in Chicago next month.

Here is her statement in full:

"On behalf of the American people, I thank Joe Biden for his extraordinary leadership as President of the United States and for his decades of service to our country. His remarkable legacy of accomplishment is unmatched in modern American history, surpassing the legacy of many Presidents who have served two terms in office.

It is a profound honor to serve as his Vice President, and I am deeply grateful to the President, Dr. Biden, and the entire Biden family. I first came to know President Biden through his son Beau. We were friends from our days working together as Attorneys General of our home states. As we worked together, Beau would tell me stories about his Dad. The kind of father-and the kind of man-he was. And the qualities Beau revered in his father are the same qualities, the same values, I have seen every single day in Joe's leadership as President: His honesty and integrity. His big heart and commitment to his faith and his family. And his love of our country and the American people.

With this selfless and patriotic act, President Biden is doing what he has done throughout his life of service: putting the American people and our country above everything else.

I am honored to have the President's endorsement and my intention is to earn and win this nomination. Over the past year, I have traveled across the country, talking with Americans about the clear choice in this momentous election. And that is what I will continue to do in the days and weeks ahead. I will do everything in my power to unite the Democratic Party-and unite our nation-to defeat Donald Trump and his extreme Project 2025 agenda.

We have 107 days until Election Day. Together, we will fight. And together, we will win."

—Sean Holstege

Navajo leader: Biden 'stands among the most impactful presidents'

Navajo Nation President Buu Nygren called Biden a steadfast champion for tribes across the United States and characterized Biden’s decision to step down as an act of courage.

“His legacy will be etched in history with hope and grace, as he stands among the most impactful presidents,” Nygren said in a statement issued Sunday.

Nygren pointed to the American Recovery Plan Act and the Infrastructure Investment Jobs Act as major investments in tribal law enforcement, “through Biden’s leadership.”

“I am honored to call him a friend and to have worked alongside him,” Nygren said. “The Navajo people are deeply thankful for his commitment and leadership.”

— L. M. Boyd

Phoenix resident says Biden made right call by dropping out

Robert Lopez, a Phoenix resident, thought this was the right choice for Biden.“For people that have been paying attention, you could kind of tell that something wasn’t right, for the last two or three years,” he said. “It’s sad to see presidents dropping out, but I think what he did was probably a patriotic thing to do.”

— Annie Goodykoontz

'Plenty of time' to replace Biden on AZ ballot, secretary of state says

Joe Biden's withdrawal from the presidential race has opened widespread speculation as to who will be the Democratic ticket at the top of Arizona's Nov. 5 ballot.

But that ballot, technically, has not yet been created. There is "plenty of time" to have it reflect whoever emerges as the Democratic presidential and vice presidential candidates, Arizona Secretary of State Adrian Fontes said Sunday.

"We're not worried about calendars and timetables," Fontes said.

There are deadlines, however.

The first one hits Aug. 9, when the secretary's office must have the names of the presidential electors from the various political parties. It's not necessary for the electors to know who the nominee is — that decision is made by the delegates at their respective party conventions.

The GOP delegates have already picked Donald Trump as their nominee, and the Libertarians in May selected Chase Oliver to lead their ticket. Democrats won't nominate a candidate until they meet Aug. 16-19 at their convention in Chicago.

— Mary Jo Pitzl

Do Arizona Democratic delegates have to vote for Biden?

Delegates do not need to be released and can vote for whoever they want , according to Democratic National Committee member Elaine Kamarck.

“There is no such thing as Joe Biden releasing his delegates,” Kamarck said during a webinar hosted by Delegates Are Democracy, a new group which aims to educate delegates about convention rules.

Kamarck is the founding director at the Brookings Institution Center for Effective Public Management and wrote a book about presidential nominations. The nomination process is still open heading into August, she said.

DNC rules direct delegates who are pledged to a candidate to “in all good conscience reflect the sentiments of those who elected them,” according to DNC rules . Kamarck said that phrase is an important “loophole” that was added after a bitter fight at the 1980 Democratic convention, when Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., challenged incumbent President Jimmy Carter.

The party has never experienced a situation where “the primaries were over, very clear cut winner, and yet something was discovered,” Kamarck said, “after the end of the primaries that caused people to severely doubt whether or not their nominee should precede.”

“We’ve never faced this,” Kamarack said.

— Stephanie Murray

What did Arizona Republicans in Congress say?

In the hours after Biden's announced his exit , Rep. Juan Ciscomani reposted Biden's statement by adding that the president's policies will be on the ballot in the form of Kirsten Engel.

Engel is challenging Ciscomani in the 6th Congressional District race as the Democratic candidate.

"From our border to your pocketbooks, we can’t let Biden-Engel win," Ciscomani said on X.

Rep. Andy Biggs, R-Ariz., called on Biden to step down as president in addition to stepping out of the presidential race.

Biggs posted that Biden is "too weak and feeble" to be prosecuted and to campaign, asking how he would be strong enough to continue serving as commander in chief of "the strongest nation in the world."

While Rep. Eli Crane, R-Ariz., did not issue a statement on Biden stepping out of the race or his subsequent endorsement of Vice President Kamala Harris as the Democratic nominee, Crane did post a video to X criticizing Harris for her border policies.

About 20 minutes after Biden posted his announcement to X, Rep. Paul Gosar posted , "The coup is complete."

— L. M. Boyd

What did the Arizona congressmen who called on Biden to step aside say?

U.S. Rep. Raúl Grijalva, D-Ariz., issued a statement expressing his gratitude to Biden for his "significant achievements and progress his administration has made."

Grijalva was the second sitting lawmaker to push for the incumbent to step down after Biden's debate performance.

"What he needs to do is shoulder the responsibility for keeping that seat — and part of that responsibility is to get out of this race," Grijalva, an 11-term lawmaker, told the New York Times on July 3.

Grijalva's announcement followed Rep. Lloyd Doggett, D-Texas, the first sitting lawmaker to urge Biden to step down.

In Grijalva's statement Sunday, he described Biden's decision to step aside as emblematic of his life of public service and that Biden will undoubtedly be remembered as one of the most consequential presidents in our history.

U.S. Rep. Greg Stanton, D-Ariz., in an X post, said President Biden put the future of the country first.

"He will go down in history as one of the most effective chief executives of the modern era. I will forever be proud of what we have been able to deliver for Arizona," Stanton said.

Stanton on July 11 called on Biden to step aside from the 2024 presidential race .

"The stakes in this election could not be higher. For our country's sake, it is time for the President to pass the torch to a new generation of leaders," Stanton wrote in a social media message.

— L. M. Boyd

Read President Joe Biden's announcement

President Joe Biden announced Sunday he will not seek reelection , ending weeks of speculation after a disastrous showing in his debate with Republican challenger Donald Trump.

Biden made the announcement in a one-page, 321-word letter released on X, formerly Twitter.

This is that letter in its entirety:

"My Fellow Americans, over the past three-and-a-half years, we have made great progress as a nation.

"Today, America has the strongest economy in the world. We've made historic investments in rebuilding our nation, in lowering prescription drug costs for seniors, and in expanding affordable health care to a record number of Americans.

"We've provided critically needed care to a million veterans exposed to toxic substances. Passed the first gun safety law in 30 years. Appointed the first African American woman to the Supreme Court. And passed the most significant climate legislation in the history of the world. America has never been better positioned to lead than we are today.

"I know none of this could have been done without you, the American people. Together, we overcame a once in a century pandemic and the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression. We've protected and preserved our democracy. And we've revitalised and strengthened our alliances around the world.

"It has been the greatest honour of my life to serve as your President. And while it has been my intention to seek re-election, I believe it is in the best interest of my party and the country for me to stand down and to focus solely on fulfilling my duties as President for the remainder of my term.

"I will speak to the nation later this week in more detail about my decision.

"For now, let me express my deepest gratitude to all those who have worked so hard to see me re-elected.

"I want to thank Vice President Kamala Harris for being an extraordinary partner in all this work. And let me express my heartfelt appreciation to the American people for the faith and trust you have placed in me.

"I believe today what I always have: that there is nothing America can't do - when we do it together. We just have to remember we are the United States of America."

— Sean Holstege

Biden 'a friend of Indian Country and we hate to see him leave', tribal leader says

In learning of Biden’s exit, Ak-Chin Chairman Robert Miguel called it a sad day but remained optimistic.

"I consider President Biden a good friend and this is an emotional day for me today," Miguel said. "He's been a friend of Indian Country and we hate to see him leave."

Miguel, who has led the 1,100-member tribe south of Maricopa since 2014, thanked Biden for his support of tribes and said he hopes whoever occupied the Oval Office next will continue Biden's policies of honoring Indian Country and upholding tribal rights.

He said he's headed to Washington for a week of meetings with officials and congressional delegates, and said he expects to gain a better sense of how the government will move over the next few months.

"It's a sad day, but we keep moving forward."

— Debra Krol

Mark Kelly's name is being floated on the Dem ticket. What about his Senate seat?

If U.S. Sen. Mark Kelly were to join the Democratic presidential ticket, he would continue to be a senator. A parallel example: U.S. Sen. J.D. Vance of Ohio is Donald Trump’s vice presidential pick, but Vance continues to serve in the U.S. Senate.

If the Democrats win in November and Kelly is on the ballot as a vice presidential or presidential candidate, he would leave his Senate seat just two years into a six-year term. It would then fall to Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs to appoint someone to fill Kelly’s seat until the next general election in 2026, as state law requires. The law also requires the appointee to be from the same political party as the departing senator.

This is nothing new to Arizona: In 2018, then-Gov. Doug Ducey appointed U.S. Rep. Martha McSally to fill the U.S. Senate seat that Jon Kyl held. Kyl himself was an appointee, a retired U.S. senator who came back into service when Ducey tapped him to fill U.S. Sen. John McCain’s seat after McCain died in August 2018. But Kyl had indicated he would only fill the McCain seat through the end of 2018, necessitating another appointment from Ducey.

That gave McSally a two-year stint in the Senate. In 2020, she ran for the right to fill out the remaining two years of McCain’s term – and lost to Mark Kelly. With that term expired, Kelly ran again in 2022, earning the normal full six-year term of a U.S. senator.

Over the course of four years, the U.S. Senate seat changed hands three times.

— Mary Jo Pitzl

What does Joe Biden ending his campaign mean for Arizona?

There's ample time in Arizona to get a new Democrat on the ballot ahead of the November election. Ballots aren't finalized until late summer and the first ballots don't go out until Sept. 21.

— Stephanie Murray

Who is Mark Kelly?: All about the US senator from Arizona and Gabrielle Giffords' husband

Mark Kelly: A fresh face for Democrats

Political experts said Arizona's Mark Kelly brings serious upside potential to the Democrats on a presidential ticket.

“To his advantage, Kelly is a fresh face on the national scene ,” said Michael Genovese, a political science professor at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles who has written extensively about the presidency.

“He’s not well-known outside of Washington and outside of the talking heads, so that doesn’t carry with it all the baggage insiders might carry. … He’s kind of an untainted presence,” Genovese said about the senator from Arizona.

— Ronald J. Hansen

Biden drops out, supports Kamala Harris for nomination

President Joe Biden ended his campaign Sunday, saying that it is in the "best interest" of the Democratic Party and the nation that he "stand down" and end his reelection bid .

The president threw his support behind Vice President Kamala Harris and said he would address the nation later this week.

"It has been the greatest honor of my life to serve as your president," Biden wrote in a letter posted to social media .

Biden, 81, will not resign his role as president and will remain in the White House until January.

— Stephanie Murray

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Joe Biden updates: Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego endorses Kamala Harris