President Biden to ‘stand down’ as Democratic nominee for president

President Joe Biden announced Sunday (July 21) he will “stand down” and not be the Democratic nominee in the 2024 presidential election. His move opens the door for Vice President Kamala Harris to be the presumptive nominee for the party.

“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 on fulfilling my duties as President for the remainder of my term. I will speak to the Nation later this week in more detail about my decision,” Biden, 81, noted in part of a statement posted Sunday afternoon.

Biden handily won the Democratic primary for the nomination. While there were concerns about Biden’s age entering the 2024 presidential election cycle, the issue become more acute following the June 28 debate between Biden and Republican nominee Donald Trump, 78, during which Biden was often unable to complete sentences.

National polling after the debate showed a growing number of voters moving away from voting for Biden.

President Biden also on Sunday endorsed Harris, 59, to be the party’s nominee, and consensus in the party is Harris will be affirmed by the Democratic Party. The Democratic National Convention is set to begin Aug. 19, and will be held in Chicago.

“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,” Biden said in the statement.

The Democratic Party of Arkansas issued the following statement about Biden stepping down: “Arkansas Democrats are incredibly proud of President Joe Biden today, not only for his responsive and selfless decision to step aside, but also for his steadfast leadership and historic accomplishments as our President for the past four years. Thanks to the Biden-Harris Administration, more than $4 billion is being invested in Arkansas. Democrats will continue our commitment to working for a better Arkansas.”

Presidential historian Jon Meacham said the decision by Biden to step away from the race is in the “best traditions of the country” in which leaders make difficult decisions that put country over personal ambition.

“Character matters enormously here. … You just don’t know what is going to hit that desk in the Oval Office,” Meacham said during an interview with MSNBC.

U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Republican from Louisiana, said Sunday prior to Biden’s announcement that the Republican Party might pursue legal action to block a Democratic nominee other than Biden from being on the ballot.

The Heritage Foundation, the ultra-conservative political think tank responsible for the controversial Project 2025 plan, has said it is planning legal action to prevent a new Democratic nominee from being placed on the ballot in Georgia, Nevada, and Wisconsin. Mike Howell, executive director of The Heritage Foundation’s Oversight Project, said the group “will remain vigilant that appropriate election integrity procedures are followed.”

Talk Business & Politics will update this story throughout the day.