Like me, you may have woken up to the news today that President Joe Biden, who had been bidding for re-election in November this year against Republican frontrunner and former President Donald Trump, has stepped down.
Despite growing calls across the board for Biden to do so due to his ailing health and mental state, it still feels shocking to have a president and frontrunner in a campaign like this step down only a few months shy of an election. It's a huge and controversial call to make this late in a race, but let's hope it was made for the better.
The announcement was made via a letter posted to social media, in which Biden said he believed it was in the best interest of his party and the country to stand down.
My fellow Democrats, I have decided not to accept the nomination and to focus all my energies on my duties as President for the remainder of my term. My very first decision as the party nominee in 2020 was to pick Kamala Harris as my Vice President. And it’s been the best… pic.twitter.com/x8DnvuImJV
— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) July 21, 2024
So what happens next?
The Democratic party is four weeks out from their national convention, which will be held in Chicago from 19–22 August. This is where the party officially selects their preferred candidate for the presidential election. Of course, Biden was the likely candidate up until today, so now it's more of an open race within the party to select who will be their chosen representative.
Naturally, Biden stated that he endorses Kamala Harris, his current Vice President, to be the Democrat's preferred candidate for this election. To which, Kamala responded via Instagram saying:
"I am honoured to have the President’s endorsement and my intention is to earn and win this nomination. 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."
View this post on Instagram
Who is running against Donald Trump now?
While Harris has clear endorsement and support from the President, it is still a unclear whether other senior Democrats might challenge her for the party's nomination. She is widely seen as the first pick for many party officials, but the party could choose to open the field for nominations. We'll have to wait until the DNC in late August for confirmation.
Is Joe Biden still the President?
Yes. Biden only stepped down from his place in the 2024 election race, not from his role as President of the United States. Mind you, there are only a few months left now of his presidential term.
Image: @kamalaharris
