President Biden Ends Re-Election Campaign, Endorses Vice President Harris
By Edrea Davis – In a surprising announcement, President Joe Biden declared he will not seek re-election, choosing instead to focus on completing his current term. In a letter posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, Biden wrote, “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. I will speak to the Nation later this week in more detail about my decision.”
President Biden, who holds the distinction of being both the youngest Senator and the oldest President in U.S. history, has been a transformative leader, particularly for the Black community. His presidency has been marked by significant achievements that have had a profound impact on Black Americans, including:
• COVID-19 Response: Ensuring free vaccine access and rapidly distributing $1,400 stimulus checks to adults.
• Economic Support: Extending COVID-19 unemployment benefits and expanding the Child Tax Credit to $3,600, providing $300 monthly per child, lifting 716,000 Black children out of poverty.
• Tax Credits: Tripling the Earned Income Credit for workers without children.
• Historic Appointments: Selecting the first Black Vice President, Kamala Harris, and nominating the first Black woman to the Supreme Court.
• Business Support: More than doubling loans to Black-owned businesses through the Small Business Administration since 2020.
• Community Investment: Investing in Black communities through initiatives like Justice40 and making record investments in Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).
• Debt Relief: Cancelling student debt.
• Diverse Leadership: Creating the most diverse Cabinet and staff in American history.
• Health Initiatives: Championing policies to combat the Black maternal health crisis.
• Racial Equity: Signing a historic executive order on his first day in office to acknowledge the human costs of systemic racism and commit to tackling inequality.
Shortly after announcing his decision to step down, President Biden endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris for the presidency, holding true to his commitment to being a transitional president. This endorsement sparked an outpouring of support from the #WinWithBlackWomen group, which raised over $1 million within three hours for Harris’s campaign. In an unprecedented show of unity, 45,000 Black women and allies participated in a Zoom event, raising $1,029,615.43 for her campaign.
Vice President Harris has already secured the backing of top Democrats, including President Bill Clinton and Senator Hillary Clinton. According to strategists on the #WinWithBlackWomen call, Democratic National Committee delegates from Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, Louisiana, New Hampshire, Nevada, and Nebraska voted to endorse Harris. Other state delegates are set to meet Monday and throughout the week to further solidify support.
Additionally, Democrats raised over $50,000 in donations from small donors on Sunday, following Biden’s announcement and endorsement of Harris. This made it the single biggest day for online Democratic donations in years, showcasing the party’s energized base.
The political landscape now shifts as Vice President Harris prepares to face former President Donald Trump in the upcoming election. Harris, a former prosecutor, has previously stated her readiness to take on Trump, saying in 2019, “I prosecuted sex predators. Trump is one. I shut down for-profit scam colleges. He ran one. I held big banks accountable. He’s owned by them. I’m not just prepared to take on Trump, I’m prepared to beat him.” Now, three and a half years later, she faces Trump, who has been found liable in court for sexual assault and fraud, had his nonprofit foundation closed, Trump University shut down, and his business suspended from operating in New York due to fraud.
As the political battle lines are drawn, Harris’s prosecutorial background and her commitment to justice may play a critical role in her campaign against a former president with a history of legal troubles. With Biden’s endorsement, the electrifying of the Democratic Party, and the swift financial support from #WinWithBlackWomen and other small donors, Harris is positioned to make a historic run for the presidency.