Bhubaneswar: In a stunning turn of events, President Joe Biden announced the end of his reelection campaign on Sunday, citing waning confidence among fellow Democrats in his mental acuity and his ability to secure a victory against Donald Trump. This decision leaves the 2024 presidential race in a state of uncertainty.
Taking to social media platform X, Biden declared that he would continue to serve as President and Commander-in-Chief until his term concludes in January 2025, with plans to address the nation later this week. “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,” Biden wrote.
Biden’s withdrawal from the race opens the door for Vice President Kamala Harris to lead the Democratic ticket, potentially making her the first Black woman to run for President in U.S. history. However, Biden did not mention Harris in his announcement.
Uncertainty looms over whether other senior Democrats will challenge Harris for the party’s nomination. Harris is widely viewed as the preferred candidate by many party officials, though the Democratic Party may decide to open the field for additional nominations.
Biden’s decision comes in the wake of significant public and private pressure from Democratic lawmakers and party officials, following his unexpectedly poor performance in a televised debate against Republican rival Donald Trump last month.