WCIA

Pritzker, Illinois politicians endorse Kamala Harris for president

By Danny ConnollySimmy Wood,

2024-07-21

7/22 Update:

ILLINOIS (WCIA) — A slew of Illinois Democratic politicians all threw their support behind Vice President Kamala Harris’s campaign after the president announced he is no longer seeking reelection.

Governor J.B. Pritzker announced in a statement Monday he is now working hard campaigning for Vice President Kamala Harris.

“Vice President Harris has proven, at every point in her career, that she possesses the skills, strength, and character to lead this country and the vision to better the lives of all Americans From protecting women’s rights to defending American workers and strengthening the middle class, Vice President Harris is a champion of the American values we hold dear. She represents our Party’s best chance to defeat Donald Trump in November, and I will work my heart out to help her do that,” he said in a statement.

Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) also endorsed Harris Monday morning.

“I’m proud to endorse my former Senate colleague and good friend, Vice President Kamala Harris,” he said. “Our nation needs to continue moving forward with unity and not MAGA chaos. Vice President Harris was a critical partner in building the Biden record over the past four years. Count me in with Kamala Harris for President.”

Duckworth also said Monday on social media she “will do everything I can to ensure she has the support needed to win.”

Illinois Speaker of the House Chris Welch (D-Westchester), the first African-American speaker in Illinois history, said Harris has his full support.

“There is no greater celebration of Black excellence than nominating Kamala Harris to lead our party forward,” Welch said. “This November, we choose unity. We choose democracy, justice, and the rule of law. We choose women’s rights, voting rights, and civil rights. And that is why we choose Kamala Harris to serve as President of the United States.”

The Democratic Party of Illinois applauded Harris’ unwavering dedication, resilience, and leadership from her career.

“The Democratic Party of Illinois is fully committed to mobilizing our communities in support of Kamala Harris. We recognize the historic significance of her candidacy and profound impact her leadership will have on our state and our country,” DPI chair Lisa Hernandez said Monday morning. “Vice President Harris’ platform reflects the values and priorities of Illinoisans, including expanding access to quality healthcare, protecting reproductive rights, addressing climate change, and ensuring economic justice for all.”

ILLINOIS (WCIA) — President Joe Biden announced on Sunday that he is officially dropping from the 2024 presidential race. Illinois politicians and organizations from both in and outside of his party shared their thoughts on the historic decision .

Biden posted the announcement on X, adding that he plans to address the nation on further details later this week.

“It has been the greatest honor of my life to serve as your President. And while it has been my intention to seek reelection, 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,” President Biden stated in the post .

The decision comes in the wake of growing pressure from fellow Democrat officials, urging Biden to drop his bid for reelection after what some considered a “nightmare” debate performance in late June. Democrat leaders in Illinois were initially mixed on the issue , but now largely stand supportive of Biden in his withdrawal.

JB Pritzker (Illinois Governor)

“President Joe Biden has dedicated his life in service to this nation, and its citizens are all the better for it. His is a storied political career culminating in one of the most accomplished and effective presidencies of our lifetime. As President of the United States he led us through a recovery from a devastating pandemic and shepherded our economy away from a recession to prosperity. He worked across the aisle to pass some of the most consequential legislation in decades to rebuild our roads and bridges while investing in the infrastructure and jobs of the 21st century. Perhaps most consequentially, President Biden restored dignity to the Oval Office, bringing the statesmanship and honor that have been the hallmarks of his years of service, back to the White House.

As we extend our gratitude to President Biden and reflect on his many accomplishments, we must not ignore the threat posed by Donald Trump’s potential return to the White House. Donald Trump is a 34 time convicted felon, adjudicated to have committed sexual assault, a racist, homophobe and misogynist. Trump brags about taking away a woman’s right to choose, wants to rip healthcare away from tens of millions of people, proposes economic policies that will cost the middle class thousands of dollars a year, and threatens the fundamental American ideals we hold dear. I will work every day to ensure that he does not win in November.”

Tammy Duckworth (Illinois United States Senator)

“No one has done more for working Americans than Joe Biden—and so many of us owe him a debt of gratitude for everything he’s done to improve our country.

Over more than 50 years in public service, he’s built an unparalleled record of accomplishments. From helping write the Violence Against Women Act in the Senate to shepherding the Affordable Care Act into law as Vice President and from helping guide our nation out of a once-in-a-lifetime pandemic to overseeing historic wage and job growth during his Presidency, Joe Biden has always put our country first and worked to change so many aspects of our lives for the better.

From the bottom of my heart, I thank him for his effective and successful leadership and for, once again, putting our country before himself. This difficult decision ensures that Democrats can focus on the goal that unites each and every one of us: defeating Donald Trump and preventing another four years of his destructive chaos and corruption.”

Dick Durbin (United States Senate Democratic Majority Whip)

“Throughout his public career, Joe Biden always put country first. His four years as President made it clear that he was determined to put our country back on track and restore the soul of our nation. America will be forever grateful for all he has given to this country.

Now the Democratic Party must unite behind a candidate who can defeat Donald Trump and keep America moving in the right direction. I will do everything in my power to help that effort.”

Robin Kelly (United States Representative, IL-2)

“President Biden is one of the most impactful leaders of my lifetime, and he will continue to serve the American people well. In the last four years, President Biden saved our country from a pandemic, brought back our economy better than before, and passed historic legislation for working people. He defeated an extremist in 2020, and I had full confidence that he would do it again.

I am heartbroken that he felt he had to step down as the nominee, and many of my constituents feel the same way. However, as President Biden said, now is the time to come together. The Democratic Party must unite behind Vice President Kamala Harris as the nominee. Together, we will beat Trump.”

Nikki Budzinski (United States Representative, IL-13)

“ Joe Biden has been the most productive and consequential president of my lifetime. His leadership has allowed us to deliver historic investments to communities in Central and Southern Illinois that will benefit working people for generations to come. I thank him for his lifetime of public service and for putting our country first as he passes the baton to Vice President Harris. It’s time that we come together and defeat Donald Trump in November. “

Lisa Hernandez (Democratic Party of Illinois Chair)

“Today, we express our deepest gratitude to President Joe Biden for his unwavering service and dedication to our nation. Under his leadership, President Biden navigated some of the most challenging times in recent history–and without failure, he showed us that he is a man of the people. President Biden’s legacy is defined by his empathy, resilience, and steadfast commitment to the American people.

When President Biden took office, our nation was grappling with a devastating once-in-a-century pandemic. His administration successfully guided us through this unprecedented crisis. And during his presidency, President Biden has worked tirelessly to rebuild the backbone of America–a strong and inclusive middle class. His administration has created over 15.5 million jobs, including 459.7k jobs in Illinois in the last 3.5 years. His efforts to lower prescription drug costs and make health care more accessible have provided relief to millions for Americans. These accomplishments will have a lasting impact on our country and will continue to guide as we move forward.

We face a critical moment in our democracy. The stakes could not be higher, and we must stand firm against the threats posed by a potential Trump-Vance presidency. Donald Trump and J.D. Vance represents a return to policies that favor the wealthy, threaten our health care, and undermine our democratic institutions. We must ensure that their regressive and divisive agenda does not prevail.

The Democratic Party of Illinois is committed to this fight. We will mobilize, organize, and vote to ensure that the Democratic ticket prevails in November. Together, we can finish the job and build a stronger, more equitable nation. Thank you, President Biden, for your service and leadership. The work continues, and we are ready to face the challenges ahead with unity and resolve.”

Meanwhile, Republican officials were just as quick to respond to Biden’s withdrawal. Former President Donald Trump, who has been campaigning against Biden as the 2024 Republican nominee, took to Truth Social to offer his thoughts.

Donald Trump (45th President, 2024 Republican Presidential Nominee)

“Crooked Joe Biden was not fit to run for President, and is certainly not fit to serve – And never was! He only attained the position of President by lies, Fake News, and not leaving his Basement. All those around him, including his Doctor and the Media, knew that he wasn’t capable of being President, and he wasn’t – And now, look what he’s done to our Country, with millions of people coming across our Border, totally unchecked and unvetted, many from prisons, mental institutions, and record numbers of terrorists. We will suffer greatly because of his presidency, but we will remedy the damage he has done very quickly. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!”

Republican leaders throughout Illinois have shared similar sentiments.

Mike Bost (United States Representative, IL-12)

“ Republicans in Congress and concerned citizens across America have questioned President Biden’s fitness for office for months . After dismissing those concerns at every turn, Biden’s allies have now forced him out of the campaign in hopes of salvaging races up and down the ballot. Unfortunately for them, it’s too late. The American people are hungry for change and for real leadership, and you aren’t going to get that from Vice President Harris or any of the other top Democrats who helped create this mess in the first place. President Trump is the clear front runner heading into November, regardless of who the Democrats nominate at their convention .”

Mary Miller (United States Representative, IL-15)

“Kamala Harris led the Democrats’ cover-up of Joe Biden’s severe cognitive decline. Their donors only forced Biden out once they got ‘caught.’ ‘Border Czar’ Kamala Harris must answer for the deadly invasion of our southern border and her cover-up of Biden’s cognitive decline.”

Darin LaHood (United States Representative, IL-16)

“For the past four years, the American people have faced record-high inflation, a border crisis impacting every community, and the effects of weak leadership on the global stage. It’s been clear that President Biden cannot serve four more years, but serious concerns remain about whether he can fulfill his duty over the next four months. No matter who the Democrat Party installs in Chicago next month, Americans are not buying the open-border, soft-on-crime, and out-of-touch policies they are selling.”

Illinois Republican Party Chair Kathy Salvi (Illinois Republican Party Chair)

“Today’s announcement is the culmination of years of lies from the Biden White House and Democrats shaming anyone who questioned the fitness of President Biden. Democrats are divided, torn apart by their own duplicity trying to pass off President Biden’s inability to fulfill his role, while Republicans stand united behind President Trump and an agenda of freedom, prosperity, and safety. Democrats have become the party of self-service while Republicans have become the voice of this nation. We as Illinois Republicans must continue to call attention to JB Pritzker’s tax-and-spend, pro-criminal agenda that drives families away from this state to protect the rest of the nation.”

President Biden said his focus will now shift solely to carrying out the remainder of his term in office. With less than four months to go until the general election and one month until the Democratic National Convention, the clock is ticking on who will become the 2024 Democratic nominee .