Iowa Democratic Party Chair Rita Hart addressed the state convention held at the Prairie Meadows Events Center in Altoona June 15, 2024. (Photo by Robin Opsahl/Iowa Capital Dispatch)
Iowa Democrats expressed both regret and relief in response to President Joe Biden’s announcement Sunday that he was dropping out of the 2024 presidential race.
Biden made the announcement in a letter posted on social media Sunday, and followed up by a post announcing his support for Vice President Kamala Harris to take his place at the top of the ticket.
In a call with reporters Sunday, Iowa Democratic Party Chair Rita Hart thanked President Joe Biden for his work as president, signing into law measures that she said have helped Iowans, like lowering the cost of insulin and providing federal infrastructure funding.
“I personally sad that President Biden has decided he is unable to continue the work that he has started by running for a second term,” Hart said. “But I recognize that this action means that Joe is telling us that it’s time for us to finish the job. … I know that he will do great things and remain focused on his job as President between now and November, and for that I’m very grateful. In the meantime, I’m confident that Iowa Democrats will unite behind a candidate who will defeat Donald Trump this November, and will carry on Joe Biden’s legacy.”
President Joe Biden bows out of reelection campaign, Harris vows to win nomination
Biden overwhelmingly won the 2024 Iowa Democratic caucuses. According to results released in March, Biden’s competitors received hundreds of votes in the state’s first mail-in presidential preference contest while Biden won more than 12,000.
With Biden out of the race, Iowa delegates at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago this August will be able to support whichever candidate is possible for them to support, Hart said. Though Iowa delegates are not committed, Hart said Biden’s endorsement of Harris “means a great deal.”
“His willingness to put his legacy into Kamala Harris’ hands speaks volumes,” Hart said. “It speaks volumes about her competency, her experience that she has gained as vice president. And so, that means a great deal. I also am sure that the delegates recognize that this is going to be their decision, their process, but I absolutely think that Iowa Democrats can rally around Kamala Harris as our nominee. But we’re very early in this process, so we will see what happens as the hours and days go by going forward.”
Hart said more information on the process heading into the national convention will be released in coming days, as she and other Democratic leaders navigate the “uncharted territory” following Biden’s announcement.
A letter from Democratic National Committee members urged delegates to support Harris at the convention, saying she is the “strongest potential Democratic candidate who can best protect President Biden’s legacy and long list of accomplishments.”
“She is, after all, the only person that can credibly claim the torch from the Biden-Harris Administration, which has led on a policy agenda that is widely popular among both base Democratic voters and the American people as a whole,” the letter, signed by 70 current and former DNC members, stated. “She has shown resolve and fortitude in the face of racist and sexist attacks by MAGA Republicans. We also firmly believe that Vice President Harris and her Vice Presidential selection will help Democratic candidates for U.S. House, Senate, and in the states we need to win in November, enabling us to enact laws that truly benefit the American people.”
What’s next for Democrats with Biden out of the presidential campaign
Biden’s decision to withdraw as the Democratic Party presidential nominee came after weeks of pressure from Democratic Party members following his June 27 debate against former President Donald Trump, the 2024 GOP presidential nominee. Iowa congressional candidates Christina Bohannan and Sarah Corkery were among the Democrats who openly called for Biden to leave the race in July.
Corkery said in her July 11 statement that “now is the time for him to pass the baton to Vice President Kamala Harris.”
“She will continue the fight to keep our democracy alive,” Corkery said.
Other Iowa Democrats, including state legislative leaders, also thanked Biden for his work as president. House Minority Leader Jennifer Konfrst said Biden’s decision to exit the race Sunday was the “latest example” of him deciding to do what’s best for the American people.
“The President’s decision today gives an opportunity to turn the page on this chapter of our history and put people over politics again,” Konfrst said in a statement.
Iowa Senate Democratic Leader Pam Jochum said that Biden was set apart from other presidents by “his heart,” saying that she and many other Iowans heard from Biden personally “when tragedy struck our lives.”
“President Biden is a Statesman who has always put our country before himself,” Jochum said. “I urge all Americans to thank President Biden. Now, more than ever, it’s crucial for Democrats to come together in our quest to defeat Donald Trump this November.”
Iowa Sen. Zach Wahls, D-Coralville, endorsed Harris in a statement Sunday, saying Democrats should move forward with “a new generation of talented Democrats who are energized and ready to lead” following Biden’s decision to leave the race.
“I am endorsing Vice President Harris to be our Democratic nominee, and I believe it is time for our party to rally around her with our full support,” Wahls said. “She is fearless, tough as nails, and she is going to defeat Donald Trump in November.”
Iowa Republicans respond
Some Iowa Republicans called for voters to rally behind Trump regardless of who the Democratic presidential nominee will be. Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird, a longtime supporter of the former President who spoke at the Republican National Convention earlier in July, said on social media that Democrats will have to contend with the current administration’s record “no matter who they replace Biden with.”
“They all still represent the same extremist agenda that has caused mass illegal immigration, soaring inflation, and a woke green scam,” Bird wrote. “And now, they’ve single-handedly dismantled our primary system. Regardless of what their next political ploy is, Americans see the truth.”
Others, including Iowa GOP Chair Jeff Kaufmann, said Biden should resign following his decision to not seek a second term.
“President Biden admitting to the world that he is not physically or mentally fit to run a campaign, but deciding to stay in office for the remainder of his term is an incredibly dangerous decision to make,” Kaufmann said in a statement. “Our adversaries now know that America is at a very weak point, with a Commander in Chief who is incapable of governing. Biden should do what is right and resign.”
Kaufmann also criticized the Democratic Party leadership who “plunged Democracy and their party into complete chaos simply because their candidate was losing in the polls.”
“Every voter who supported Biden in the Primary election should feel abandoned and betrayed,” he said.
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