Praise for President Joe Biden from Southern California Democrats rolled in Sunday morning after the president said he would step aside from his re-election bid.
“Joe Biden has accomplished more as president than most presidents in recent memory,” said Rep. Lou Correa, an Orange County Democrat who had defended the president against earlier calls to drop out of the race. “I remain a Biden fan and will always support you.”
The president has for weeks faced growing calls to withdraw from the presidential campaign. Biden, 81, ignited mounting concern about his age and mental competency following a disastrous presidential debate performance last month.
“President Biden will go down in history as one of the best presidents of our great country,” Rep. Ted Lieu, D-Torrance, said on social media. Biden “took a nation hurt by the pandemic and turned our country around, usherin gin massive job growth, infrastructure and a clean energy and tech revolution. Thank you, Mr. President.”
“President Joe Biden has been one of the most consequential presidents in American history. I’m proud to have worked so closely with his administration on so many of these historic achievements,” said Rep. Nanette D. Barragán, D-South Gate.
Biden also said Sunday that he is throwing his support behind Vice President Kamala Harris to be the Democratic Party’s nominee.
Democrats, Barragán said, will support Harris “as the party moves forward, unified, in our efforts to put the American people over politics.” Lieu also praised Harris, saying she will win in November.
“President Biden’s decision is incredibly patriotic and the right thing to do,” said Rep. Mike Levin, D-San Juan Capistrano, who had publicly called on Biden to drop out.
“I want to thank President Biden for his decades of public service to our country and his historic presidency,” Levin continued. “He has led our country with unwavering courage, conviction and strength. Our nation, and the entire free world, is better off because of his leadership. Now, we must come together to prevail against the incalculable threat Donald Trump poses to the American institutions of freedom and democracy.”
But Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Escondido, tied Harris to his criticism of the Biden administration.
“We’ve had 4 years of Democratic chaos — at the border, in business, overseas, in our schools and on our streets,” Issa said on social media. “Joe Biden, Kamala Harris led all of it.”
Other reactions
Rep. Robert Garcia, D-Long Beach: “It’s been an honor to support (Biden) and (Harris) from day one. Now we must unite around our vice president and defeat Donald Trump. I’m all in, are you? Let’s go!”
Rep. Jimmy Gomez, D-Los Angeles: “As he has done throughout his public service career, President Biden is once again prioritizing the American people and doing all possible to secure the strongest, brightest and most stable future for our nation. With heart and humility, the president has used his time in the White House to usher in transformative change.”
Rep. Katie Porter, D-Irvine: “President Biden’s service has bettered the lives of millions of Americans, delivering long overdue action on drug prices, climate, infrastructure, and more. Now as we move forward, I hope we will have a process that energizes the electorate to set us up for victory in November. I look forward to Vice President Harris making her case to voters, and I will support our nominee however I can so we keep the White House.”
Senate President Pro Tem Mike McGuire, D-North Coast: “President Biden has led our nation with incredible skill, heart, and determination. His presidency has implemented generational change. Through his leadership, America’s economy is back from the abyss, he’s created a record number of jobs for working families, he’s reinvested in rural America, doubled the stock market, stood strong for reproductive rights and, because of his steady hand, America is back as a beacon of hope for the rest of the world. His leadership has been nothing short of tremendous, especially coming out of a global pandemic. California is deeply grateful for his tireless dedication to this nation we all love to call home.”
State Sen. Dave Min, D-Irivne: “I am grateful to President Biden for his decades of service to our country. The impacts of his life’s work, including his term as president, will be felt for generations to come. I am sure his decision to step aside was not an easy one, but it is one that is characteristic of his history of serving the public good. We must defeat Donald Trump and his radical agenda to ban abortion and overthrow our democracy, as well as the MAGA extremists who would promote this agenda, including my opponent Scott Baugh.”
State Sen. Tom Umberg, D-Santa Ana: “I can only imagine this has been an incredibly difficult decision for President Biden and his family. It was an honor and privilege to work with then Sen. Biden when I served in the Clinton White House. President Biden has been an extraordinary president. It is the ultimate demonstration of patriotism to step away from power.”
This is a breaking news story and will be updated.
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