President Joe Biden 's decision to end his bid for reelection amid intense pressure has energized local Democrats by giving the party an opening to reframe their faltering narrative and bolstered Republicans' confidence as they come out of the national convention to run against what has been described as a "fragmented" party.
Biden made the announcement on Sunday from his home in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, where he has been self-isolating since testing positive for COVID-19 Thursday night.
"It has been the greatest honor of my life to serve as your President," Biden said in a letter addressed to Americans. "And while it has been my intention to seek reelection, I believe it is in the best interest of my party and my country for me to stand down and to focus solely on my duties as President for the rest of my term."
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Biden quickly endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris as the Democratic nominee. He said he would speak to the nation later this week to provide more details about his decision.
Over the past couple of years, the Biden administration has grown its presence in the Hudson Valley with visits by both the president and first lady to Dutchess County. He and senior members of his team have been touting the $52 billion CHIPS and Science Act .
Local Democrats praised Biden's decision saying it was a difficult one to make but showed the president had the country's best interests in mind. They saw the decision as one that could galvanize voters, especially independents and those who may have already decided not to vote, to take more of an interest in who the candidates are and what they stand for.
"I think this will change the news cycle," said Dutchess County Democratic Committee Chair Michael Dupree, adding "anything that will drive interest toward understanding better who Vice President Harris is, if she's a nominee, who her vice president candidate will be, is something that will help voters decide, help animate Democrats."
The Republican Party has held the nation's attention over the past couple of weeks before unveiling former President Trump's running mate, JD Vance. Democrats hope their nomination process will hold a similar sway on the nation's attention.
Dupree hopes the nomination process, which he described as "uncharted territory," will allow for a more democratic process to enfold depending on who steps into the ring to vie for the Democrats. This gives voters the opportunity to learn more about the candidates, both at a local and national level, and their positions on hot-button issues such as the economy and constitutional rights.
"Voters can now sort of breathe a sigh of relief, take a breath and start to get excited about what it's going to mean to vote in this election," said Zak Constantine, chairman for the Orange County Democratic Party. "Instead of simply just being a referendum on these two parties over the last four to eight years, we can now count on a nominee that can make a case to the American people about what they're fighting for, what they're voting for in the next election."
Republicans, however, are using this moment to cast doubt on the Democrats' ability to lead the country and also use the momentum from the national convention to show that their party is unified behind former President Donald Trump.
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"The fact that President Biden has stepped away is very interesting and frightening in reality, because if he cannot run for office, if he feels himself not fit to run for office, how can he feel fit enough to run the country," asked Dutchess County Republican Committee Chair Michael McCormack.
While Republicans do not see Biden's decision as impacting local races in the long run, or change how their candidates are campaigning, Democrats believe this could bring more voters out to the polls this year, helping down-ballot candidates.
McCormack believes Republicans have already made headway with independent voters, who in the past, have been the deciding factor in local elections. However, Orange County's Democratic Committee chair feels those voters frustrated with current presidential candidates will see this as an opportunity to reconsider how they cast their ballot.
This year, there are several state races and congressional races that are highly competitive. Congressman Pat Ryan who represents the 18th Congressional District is running in a tight race against Republican candidate Alison Esposito. Ryan , earlier this month, supported the Democrats' calls for Biden to step down.
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"The top of the ticket always leads down ticket, so the locomotive in front of the train is what pulls the train along, and in this case we have (former) President Trump," said Dutchess County Republican Committee Chair Michael McCormack, who described the Democratic Party as "fragmented."
Even before Biden decided to step down, Republicans were taking aim at Harris during high-profile Republican speeches in Milwaukee during the convention. However, polling from earlier this month showed Harris with better odds of beating Trump than Biden, though not by much.
"Make no mistake, the Biden-Harris administration, in my opinion, has been the most productive presidential administration in modern history," said Constantine. "That is why as a party leader, as a young party leader, I stepped up, and demonstrated my support by joining the team as a pledge delegate."
Saba Ali: Sali1@poughkeepsiejournal.com; 845-451-4518
This article originally appeared on Poughkeepsie Journal: Mid-Hudson Valley party leaders believe Biden's decision to drop out will energize voters
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