Biden Drops Out, Harris Becomes Democratic Nominee

Biden’s Withdrawal

On July 21, 2024, President Joe Biden announced in a letter posted to social media that he was ending his campaign for reelection. The decision came after weeks of escalating pressure from within the Democratic Party following Biden’s disastrous performance at the June 27 presidential debate against Trump, where Biden appeared confused, lost his train of thought repeatedly, and alarmed voters and party leaders alike about his fitness for another four-year term. In a separate statement, Biden endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris to succeed him as the Democratic nominee.

Harris Consolidates Support

Harris moved with remarkable speed to lock up the nomination. Within 48 hours of Biden’s withdrawal, she had secured endorsements from enough delegates to win the nomination on the first ballot. Major Democratic figures, including former rivals and party leaders, quickly rallied behind her. Harris raised over $100 million in small-dollar donations in the first 24 hours of her campaign, shattering fundraising records. Her candidacy injected immediate energy into a Democratic base that had been demoralized by Biden’s struggles.

Impact on the Trump Campaign

Biden’s withdrawal and Harris’s emergence threw the Trump campaign into disarray. Trump and his team had spent months calibrating their strategy against Biden, focusing on the president’s age and cognitive fitness. Suddenly facing a younger, energized opponent, the Trump campaign scrambled to recalibrate. Trump initially struggled to settle on a line of attack against Harris, cycling through various nicknames and criticisms on social media.

A Historic Candidacy

Harris became the first Black woman and first person of South Asian descent to be nominated for president by a major party, building on her historic role as the first female vice president. She selected Minnesota Governor Tim Walz as her running mate and entered the general election campaign trailing Trump in most polls but with a surge of momentum and enthusiasm that transformed the race from what had seemed like a foregone conclusion into a competitive contest.