Biden drops out, endorses Kamala Harris: 'I am honored to have this endorsement'

With President Joe Biden ending his bid for reelection, Vice President Kamala Harris has become a likely candidate to replace him on the ticket.

On Sunday, Biden announced he is dropping out of the 2024 presidential race, saying, "It's 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."

In a separate post on X (formerly Twitter), Biden endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris as the nominee.

"Democrats — it’s time to come together and beat Trump. Let’s do this," Biden said.

Biden will remain in office until the end of his term, which concludes at noon on January 20, 2025.

Here’s a look at how Harris has responded to the endorsement, and her career and what might make her the likely 2024 Democratic presidential nominee: 

Kamala Harris responds to endorsement

On Sunday, Harris released the following statement responding to President Biden's endorsement: 

"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. His remarkable legacy of accomplishment is unmatched in modern American history, surpassing the legacy of many Presidents who have served two terms in office.

"It is a profound honor to serve as his Vice President, and I am deeply grateful to the President, Dr. Biden, and the entire Biden family. I first came to know President Biden through his son Beau. We were friends from our days working together as Attorneys General of our home states. As we worked together, Beau would tell me stories about his Dad. The kind of father—and the kind of man—he was. And the qualities Beau revered in his father are the same qualities, the same values, I have seen every single day in Joe’s leadership as President: His honesty and integrity. His big heart and commitment to his faith and his family. And his love of our country and the American people.

"With this selfless and patriotic act, President Biden is doing what he has done throughout his life of service: putting the American people and our country above everything else.

"I am honored to have the President’s endorsement and my intention is to earn and win this nomination. Over the past year, I have traveled across the country, talking with Americans about the clear choice in this momentous election. And that is what I will continue to do in the days and weeks ahead. 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.

"We have 107 days until Election Day. Together, we will fight. And together, we will win."

Harris's rise in national politics

Harris, born in Oakland, California, to a Jamaican father and Indian mother, has built a notable career with several significant achievements.

U.S. Senate career

• Elected in 2016 as the second Black woman in U.S. history to secure a Senate seat.
• Gained attention for assertive questioning of Trump administration officials, notably pressing Attorney General William Barr on potential White House pressure.

2020 presidential campaign

• Launched with the slogan "Kamala Harris for the People."
• Attracted 20,000 people to the first campaign rally in Oakland.
• Faced challenges due to her law enforcement background and fundraising issues, withdrawing from the race in December 2019.

What are some of Kamala Harris's significant accomplishments?

She advocated for same-sex marriage 

Harris was elected as California’s attorney general in 2010, becoming the first woman and Black person to hold the job. She declined to defend the state’s Proposition 8, which banned same-sex marriage and was later overturned by the U.S. Supreme Court.

"I declined to defend Proposition 8 because it violates the Constitution. The Supreme Court has described marriage as a fundamental right 14 times since 1888," she said in a statement. The time has come for this right to be afforded to every citizen."

The Supreme Court eventually ruled against Proposition 8. Harris officiated the wedding of Kris Perry and Sandy Stier, the first same-sex marriage in California.

Opposition to the death penalty

Harris wrote in a 2018 Facebook post reiterating her stances against seeking capital punishment for various prisoners. 

"My career as a prosecutor was marked by fierce opposition to the death penalty while still upholding the law and a commitment to fixing a broken criminal justice system," Harris said.

In 2004, as San Francisco’s district attorney, Harris declined to pursue the death penalty against David Hill, a gang member who fatally shot a police officer. He was sentenced to life without parole in 2007.

She again declined to seek the death penalty for Edwin Ramos, who murdered three people in 2009. He, too, was sentenced to life in prison.

When she campaigned to be San Francisco’s district attorney, she pledged not to advocate for capital punishment which reportedly helped solidify her win, the San Francisco Chronicle reported.

Despite her public stance against the death penalty, Harris has been criticized for her defense of capital punishment in court when in 2014, as California’s attorney general, she asked an appeals court to reverse an earlier decision declaring California’s death penalty unconstitutional, calling the ruling "fundamentally misguided."

More info on Harris’ criminal justice policies

Harris’ record as California attorney general and district attorney in San Francisco was heavily scrutinized during the 2020 Democratic primary and turned off some liberals and younger Black voters who saw her as out of step on issues of systemic racism in the legal system and police brutality. She has tried to strike a balance on these issues, declaring herself a "progressive prosecutor" who backs law enforcement reforms.

Scrutiny of Her Record

• As California attorney general and San Francisco district attorney, Harris faced criticism for not being proactive enough on systemic racism and police brutality issues.
• Claimed to be a "progressive prosecutor" supporting law enforcement reforms while balancing the law.

Response to George Floyd Protests

• Criticized Louisville PD for the handling of Breonna Taylor’s case, tweeting that the officers who killed her were not charged.
• Faced criticism in 2014 for not investigating a series of police shootings in San Francisco after Michael Brown's death in Ferguson, Mo.

Balancing Act

• Encountered backlash for not seeking the death penalty for David Hill, a gang member who killed a police officer in 2004, and Edwin Ramos, who murdered three people in 2009.
• Her refusal to pursue the death penalty haunted her during her 2010 California attorney general campaign, narrowly winning against a police-backed rival.

Legislative Actions

• Co-sponsored legislation in June 2020 to ban chokeholds and no-knock warrants, set a national use-of-force standard, and create a national police misconduct registry.
• Supported reforms to qualified immunity, which protects officers from personal liability.

Ongoing Efforts

• Required body cameras for DOJ officers but did not support statewide legislation.
• Advocated for independent investigations of police shootings, though she did not back a 2015 bill mandating her office to handle such cases.
• Continues to push for racial justice and police reform, highlighting progress but acknowledging more work is needed.

Harris's stance on health care

During her 2019 presidential bid, Kamala Harris proposed a health care plan aiming to bridge Democratic Party factions but faced criticism from both progressives and moderates.

• Progressive criticism: Her plan fell short of the full-scale "Medicare for All" overhaul, which she praised but distanced herself from.
• Moderate criticism: Seen as indecisive, she proposed a 10-year transition to a single-payer system, maintaining a role for private insurers and avoiding middle-income tax increases.

Harris often clarified her stance, stating she did not support abolishing private insurance. Biden’s health care plan, which includes a "Medicare-like public option," complements Harris’s centrist record on health care and law enforcement.

Is Harris the likely 2024 DNC nominee?

Many political experts say Harris is by far the best positioned to replace Joe Biden.

"Harris makes the most sense to carry on the Biden legacy," Andrew Feldman,  a Democratic strategist who works closely with various state parties, told the Associated Press. 

Antjuan Seawright, a South Carolina-based Democratic strategist, noted that voters four years ago put 78-year-old Biden in the Oval Office knowing Harris was next in line.

"Democrats have voted for Joe Biden with Kamala Harris," Seawright said.

Biden’s natural endorsement

• Harris has always been Biden's most natural successor, with many Democratic delegates expressing loyalty to her.

Historic significance

• First woman, Black woman, and person of South Asian descent to serve as VP.
• Skipping her for another candidate could be seen as disloyal by core Democratic supporters.

Established campaign infrastructure

• Already on a winning presidential ticket with Biden.
• Could control a considerable campaign fund amassed by the Biden reelection campaign.

Strategic advantage

• At 59, Harris is significantly younger than Biden, offering a fresh perspective.
• A former prosecutor with a sharp debating style.

Public support and favorability

• Harris has a favorability rating similar to Biden’s but with fewer unfavorable views.
• Stronger favorability among Black Americans, with the potential to shape more positive opinions.

Resonating legal background

• Harris's legal background aligns with the Democratic Party’s current focus on balanced criminal justice and law-and-order messaging, especially after the 2020 protests against racial injustice.

What the polling says

The Associated Press has reported that Biden saw his approval rating fall sharply among Black Americans, a trend Harris would aim to reverse before November. 

Biden struggled with low approval ratings overall, and Harris’s ratings are similar. About 39% of U.S. adults have a favorable opinion of Harris, close to Biden’s 40%. However, an AP-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research poll in June found 49% have an unfavorable view of Harris, compared to Biden’s 57%.

Harris is favorably viewed by 62% of Black Americans, 37% of Hispanic Americans, and 35% of white Americans. However, around 12% of U.S. adults are not familiar enough with Harris to form an opinion, unlike Biden, who is widely known.

The Associated Press contributed to this story. It was reported from Los Angeles.