San Diego County elected officials weighed in Sunday on President Joe Biden's announcement that he's withdrawing from the 2024 presidential campaign.
North County Rep. Mike Levin (D-49) was among the first California Democrats in Congress to call for Biden to drop out of the race. On Sunday, he praised the president.
“President Biden’s decision is incredibly patriotic and the right thing to do. He put country first," Levin said in a statement.
Levin also voiced his support for Vice President Kamala Harris, who Biden endorsed to take over the top spot on the ticket.
"It's time to move forward with Kamala Harris as our new leader," the statement said.
San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria called Biden a "leader, patriot and true public servant who has always put the good of the country first."
"His record of accomplishment means history will surely count him as one of America's most effective presidents," Gloria — a Democrat — wrote on X. "I must also express my gratitude to the president for his support of San Diego. He has delivered for our city and its people time and time again."
County Board of Supervisors Chairwoman Nora Vargas said Biden "fought for our Democratic values, and we owe him a debt of gratitude for all he accomplished to uplift working class families over his long career in public service. "
State Sen. Steve Padilla, D-San Diego, said Biden's "decision to step aside will be remembered as one of the single most selfless acts of patriotism in our country's history."
Biden had repeatedly rejected calls from Democrats in Congress to drop out of the race, brushing off concerns about his age and fitness to withstand the rigors of a national campaign against former President Donald Trump.
However, reports surfaced in recent days that the president might be reconsidering his stance as he remained secluded in Delaware after testing positive for COVID-19 earlier this week.
Those reports were validated on Sunday with his historic announcement released shortly after 10:30 a.m. Pacific time.
"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," the statement said. "I will speak to the Nation later this week in more detail about my decision," he added.
Biden's initial message did not express his preference for who should take his place at the top of the ticket, but he posted another statement about 30 minutes later endorsing Harris.
"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 decision I've made. Today I want to offer my full support and endorsement for Kamala to be the nominee of our party this year. Democrats — it's time to come together and beat Trump. Let's do this."
Harris is a former California attorney general and senator.
"On behalf of the American people, I thank Joe Biden for his extraordinary leadership as President of the United States and for his decades of service to our country," Harris said in a statement released Sunday afternoon. "I am honored to have the President's endorsement and my intention is to earn and win this nomination."
Vargas gave her full-throated support to Harris.
"I will work tirelessly to help get her elected to the White House in November," Vargas said. "She is exactly the leader we need to lead our country and make the American Dream available to all, not just an elite few."
The Democratic Party is now faced with a possible rift between those backing Harris and others who favor an open competition before the Democratic National Convention, which will be held in Chicago from Aug. 19-22.
Former President Barack Obama, under whom Biden served for eight years as vice president, praised his former running mate, but did not go so far as to endorse anyone to replace him atop the ticket.
"We will be navigating uncharted waters in the days ahead. But I have extraordinary confidence that the leaders of our party will be able to create a process from which an outstanding nominee emerges," Obama wrote.
The decision will certainly impact California politics, said Carl Luna, a professor emeritus of political science at Mesa College.
"The question then is, what happens within the internal California power structure?" Luna said. "Where does Gavin Newsom go after this? Who rises up through the ranks?"
Trump wasted little time in weighing in on the withdrawal of the man who beat him in the 2020 election.
"Crooked Joe Biden was not fit to run for President, and is certainly not fit to serve — And never was!" Trump wrote on Truth Social.
Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Escondido, was also quick to criticize Biden's time in the White House.
"We've had four years of Democratic chaos — at the border, in business, overseas, in our schools and on our streets. Joe Biden, Kamala Harris led all of it," he said.
And County Supervisor Jim Desmond, a Republican, wondered why Biden was "remaining as president for the remainder of his term when it's clear he is unable to fulfill his duties?"
