FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WFFT) — Indiana politicians are reacting to the news of President Joe Biden’s exit from the 2024 election Monday.
Democrats say Biden is a good leader, and his choice to step out of the race is selfless.
“I am in awe of his ability to think first of our party, of our country over his own interest, and, for that, I am very honored to call him president,” Fort Wayne Mayor Sharon Tucker said.
Now, Biden is backing Vice President Kamala Harris for the Democratic nomination.
“As we know, and, as [Biden] has said, he would not have chosen [Harris] if he didn’t think she could one day step into the role. So I think it’s a good choice, and I think it’s important as we’re already seeing, for democrats around the country to come together and show support for VP Harris as she moves up to the number one slot,” District 2 Representative and President of the Indiana Black Legislative Caucus Earl Harris Jr. said.
If she were elected, she would make history as both a woman and a racial minority. Democratic legislators hope she draws young and minority voters to the polls in November, as was the case in 2008.
President Barack Obama’s election in 2008 was the last time Indiana went blue during a presidential election.
The Allen County Republican Party hopes that does not happen again.
“The democrats are changing their candidate. They are not changing their philosophy; the same philosophies that Joe Biden has destroyed our country with over the last four years will be those of Kamala Harris or the next nominee of the Democratic Party,” Chair of the Allen County Republican Party Steve Shine said.
The Allen County Democratic Party believes in Harris as a candidate, though, and hopes she will expand abortion access if she’s elected.
“I think with Vice President Harris, you’ve got someone who’s worked with President Biden for the last 3.5 years on a lot of these issues that he has worked on and has addressed for our country, so it’s going to be an easy transition, especially since she’s already worked on it. With that, we’re going to continue to push for things, such as protecting abortion and reproductive rights in this country,” Chair of the Allen County Democratic Party Derek Camp said.
Harris does not have the Democratic nomination for the November election, and she has also not announced who her Vice President pick would be.