Officials release statements following President Biden's decision to end reelection bid

Read what officials across the tristate have to say following President Biden's decision to end his reelection bid.

News 12 Staff

Jul 21, 2024, 6:50 PM

Updated 134 days ago

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Officials across the tristate quickly released statements following Biden's decision to end his reelection bid.
Below are some of the statements:
Regarding President Biden’s announcement that he will not seek reelection, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand issued the following statement:
“President Biden has served our country with courage, compassion, integrity and decency. I am honored to have served in the Senate during his administration, which achieved historic accomplishments related to gun safety, veterans’ health care, infrastructure, advanced manufacturing, climate change, prescription drugs, and more. President Biden has improved the lives of millions of Americans and leaves behind a legacy that will echo for generations. On behalf of myself and every New Yorker: Thank you, Joe.”
Congressman Anthony D'Esposito (R-NY-04) released the following statement after President Biden announced he was dropping out of the 2024 presidential race.
“President Biden’s record in office: chaos at our border, debilitating inflation, crises overseas. Biden and Democrats have failed the American people on all fronts. No matter the nominee, we must elect Republicans up and down the ballot this November.”
Congressman Frank Pallone (D-New Jersey) today issued the following statement in response to President Biden’s announcement that he will not seek re-election as the Democratic Presidential nominee:
“President Biden's decision to step back from the nomination reflects his selflessness as a leader. His legacy of putting his country first is underscored by more than fifty years of public service. I am grateful for his calm leadership while navigating the most challenging role on the planet, especially after four years of tumult and division sowed by Donald Trump. Now, our party must come together to defeat the authoritarian policies of the Republican nominee and ensure American democracy endures.”
Congressman Jamaal Bowman, Ed.D. (NY-16) released the following statement on President Joe Biden’s decision to drop out of the race.
“It has been an honor to serve alongside President Joe Biden during my time in Congress. When Democrats had control of the house from 2020-2022, we had the most productive Congress in US history. President Biden championed historic legislation like the CHIPS and Science Act, the American Rescue Plan, the Inflation Reduction Act and so much more. While I have disagreed with the president on his approach to Gaza, there is no question that he has secured transformational wins for the American people. He ushered us through a global pandemic and invested in the working class people of this nation. At this pivotal moment in history, with a rogue right wing Supreme Court, the threat of a second Trump presidency, and Project 2025 looming, I am glad to see President Biden do what is best for our democracy by suspending his campaign and passing the torch. Now, I strongly believe that we must place our full support behind Vice President Kamala Harris.
Vice President Harris is an exceptional leader who is best equipped to finish President Biden’s agenda including passing universal child care and paid leave for all, investing in economic equity, building affordable housing, and taxing the wealthy. I am also excited to see her execute her own transformational vision for the future of our democracy and our foreign policy. It's time to come together and rally the nation in support of Vice President Harris as our next president. She is the best candidate to beat the disgraced former president. Let us all follow her guiding light.”
Congressman Ritchie Torres (NY-15) released the following statement:
“President Joe Biden’s selfless decision to step aside for a new generation of leadership—Vice President Kamala Harris—is an act of Washingtonian statesmanship. President Biden leaves behind a transformative legacy that puts him in the pantheon of great presidents among the likes of FDR and LBJ.
“He has set our country on a trajectory to transition to a clean energy economy and combat catastrophic climate change. He has made the largest investments in infrastructure in more than half a century. He has positioned the United States to lead the 21st century with unprecedented investments in science and semiconductors. He has given America the most productive and productively bipartisan presidency in recent memory in areas ranging from gun safety to veteran health care.
"President Biden’s decision to exit the stage is not an act of weakness but an act of strength—an affirmation that he has had a level of achievement in one term that most two-term Presidents would envy and few could emulate. His has been a monumental presidency for the ages, one that will be remembered long after his time in office.”
U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) released on the following statement on President Joe Biden:
“Joe Biden is one of the greatest, most consequential presidents in American history. He was the compassionate, courageous leader our country desperately needed during a time of crisis. Over the last four years, he has overseen the passage of immensely impactful laws that will benefit generations of Americans. Joe is a smart, strategic fighter who always – always – looks out for the little guy. I am incredibly grateful for his lifetime of service and his unwavering, steadfast commitment to the future of our nation.”
Connecticut Attorney General William Tong released the following statement on this afternoon’s announcement from President Joe Biden.
"I remember watching Senator Biden in an interview on 60 Minutes during the 1988 campaign. I was 15 years old. I remember being in awe of his strength, his confidence, and even his swagger – and that's when I started to think I want to be like Joe,” said Attorney General Tong. “Now more than 35 years later, I know that all of us could stand to be lot more like Joe – strong, confident, and dedicated to the peace, prosperity, and security of our fellow Americans. I am grateful for his leadership of our country, and as Attorney General, for his partnership in all that we have done together during his incredible Presidency. When I stood with him in the White House as he signed the law to protect Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders from hate and discrimination, he demonstrated that he is a President for all of us. And that is who he will always be."
Rep. Jim Himes:
"President Biden has a remarkable legacy. He defeated a lethal pandemic, reinvigorated our economy and especially American manufacturing, lowered drug prices, and made historic investments in our infrastructure. Putting our nation before his personal interest has now secured that legacy to the ages. It is now up to us to work as never before to defeat the dark authoritarian vision of Donald Trump."
Congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12) issued the following statement regarding President Biden’s decision not to seek reelection:
“History will remember President Biden as a towering figure. A lifelong public servant. A historically successful president. And as a selfless leader who put the greater good of this country above himself.
“President Biden’s decision to step aside is a selfless act of patriotism, putting the need to defend democracy ahead of his own personal ambition. It’s a stunning act of selflessness that is so often lacking in today’s politics.
“Thank you for everything you have done for our country, President Biden."
Statement from Chairman of the New York State Democratic Committee Jay Jacobs:
"I admired Joe Biden when he was a United States Senator. I thought his selection as Barack Obama’s Vice Presidential pick was perfect for our country. I have admired Joe Biden’s decency, honesty, and his demonstrated courage in the face of the most difficult of personal adversities. Joe Biden has been one of our most successful and impactful Presidents – certainly one of the most productive in the past 60 years – and I have admired the job he has done under the most difficult of circumstances."
"I have never admired Joe Biden more than I do today. Voluntarily ceding the nomination and forgoing a chance to serve for another four years in the job that he did so well in and spent a lifetime dreaming of attaining, is as noble an act as ever recorded in America’s political history. Joe Biden’s selflessness; his putting country and party above his own personal desires, places him in the category of every great political leader since George Washington set the standard some 225 years ago."
"While the nation’s gratitude may be blurred by the politics of our current times, history will record and all will long remember Joe Biden not just for what he did as President, but for what he gave up, so that we may continue as that “shining city on a hill."
Sen. Chris Murphy:
Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont: