Watch: Biden tells Harris: ‘I’m watching you, kid – I love you’

Joe Biden has urged Democrats to “embrace” Kamala Harris as the party’s nominee, saying his decision to drop out of the White House race was the “right thing” to have done.

Addressing Ms Harris, he added: “I’m watching you, kid. I love you.”

The US president and vice-president held a meeting with staff in Wilmington, Delaware at their first joint event since Mr Biden stood down from the election ticket on Sunday.

Mr Biden told his campaign team – which has now flipped to supporting Ms Harris – that he would be “out on the road” to win votes for his vice-president, who could effectively become the Democrat nominee within days.

“I want to say to the team, embrace her. She’s the best,” Mr Biden said, in his first remarks since pulling out of the race.

“I know yesterday’s news is surprising and it’s hard for you to hear, but it was the right thing to do.”

Ms Harris told staff: “It is my intention to go out and earn this nomination – and to win.”

She surpassed the number of delegates needed to claim the Democratic presidential nomination on Monday night, campaign sources told Reuters.

12:08 AM BST

That’s it for today

Thank you for joining our live coverage on another huge day in the US election race.

Here’s are our top stories from today:

• Kamala Harris ‘will pick white man as running mate’ to boost election chances

• ‘Bullying’ leaves Kamala Harris without a top team for White House bid

• Why only Michelle Obama could beat Trump

• Farage: It would be potty to vote for Kamala Harris simply because she’s a woman

• White House covered up Biden decline, BBC presenter claims

Plus: Who will win the US election? Our experts predict impact of Kamala Harris joining the race

11:37 PM BST

Abortion will be a priority – Harris

Ms Harris on Monday has told supporters she will make the fight for the right to an abortion in the United States a central part of her presidential campaign against Trump.

“We will fight for reproductive freedom, knowing, if Trump gets the chance, he will sign an abortion ban to outlaw abortion in every single state,” she said in her first campaign speech since President Joe Biden abruptly dropped out of his reelection bid.

She added that when Congress passes a law to restore reproductive freedoms, as president she would sign it into law.

Ms Harris also pledged universal background checks, red flag laws, and an assault weapon ban in a bid to end America’s gun crisis.

11:34 PM BST

Harris: ‘I love Joe Biden’

Ms Harris has vowed to win against Donald Trump in November, while acknowledging the “rollercoaster” of emotions following Joe Biden’s decision to drop out of the race.

“Over the next 106 days, we are going to take our case to the American people, and we are going to win,” Harris told campaign staff in Delaware.

“It’s been a roller coaster, and we’re all filled with so many mixed emotions about this - I just have to say: I love Joe Biden.”

11:32 PM BST

Harris compares Trump to ‘predators’ and ‘cheaters’

Kamala Harris has compared her election rival Donald Trump to “predators” and “cheaters,” as she attacked the first former US leader to be convicted of a crime.

Speaking of her past as a prosecutor in California, Harris told campaign staff: “In those roles I took on perpetrators of all kinds. Predators who abused women. Fraudsters who ripped off consumers. Cheaters who broke the rules for their own gain.

“So hear me when I say I know Donald Trump’s type.”

10:59 PM BST

Biden urges Democrats to ‘embrace’ Harris

Joe Biden has called into a campaign staff meeting in Delaware after ending his reelection bid, urging Democrats to “embrace” Kamala Harris as the presidential nominee.

The US president also promised he would be “out on the road” campaigning for Ms Harris ahead of the election in November.

10:39 PM BST

‘Bullying’ leaves Harris without top election team

Kamala Harris lacks a top team to steward her 2024 White House bid after she burned through staff as vice-president amid claims of “bullying”, writes Rozina Sabur, Deputy US Editor.

Democrat insiders fear Ms Harris has few senior aides to rely on as she seeks to defeat Donald Trump in the election, which is little more than 100 days away.

The vice-president is primed to replace Joe Biden as the Democrats’ nominee, after he withdrew from the race on Sunday.

Read the full piece here.

10:24 PM BST

Daily T Podcast: US election and Farage on meeting Trump

10:14 PM BST

Kamala Harris will be a disaster for America

America’s liberal elites are sighing with accomplished relief at the departure of Joe Biden, writes Sherelle Jacobs.

The increasingly scathing calls for the President to give up his re-election bid have ended in a ruthless victory. Now, in the ash of his political implosion, hubris builds.

After a brief, pitying pause to take in the full operatic scale of Biden’s agonies, momentum is building behind a Kamala Harris coronation, the “young” and “transcendent” leader with the “X-factor” to stop Donald Trump in his tracks.

Read the full comment piece here.

10:03 PM BST

Vance to drum up support in Rust Belt

Donald Trump’s campaign intends to use JD Vance, who became the GOP vice presidential nominee last week, to drum up support in Rust Belt states that are seen as pivotal for Democrats’ path to the White House.

That includes Michigan, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania, among other places where the senator’s blue collar roots and populist views are expected to resonate.

This evening, in Middletown, Ohio, Mr Vance leaned into his biography, which he laid out in his memoir “Hillbilly Elegy.”

Mr Vance cited his origin story in his remarks, describing his grandma “Mamaw,” and joked, “A lot of you know the story of my family. Hell, a lot of you are my family, actually,” which drew laughs from the crowd.

Mr Vance’s speech was peppered with local references, including to ice cream and doughnut shops, a storied high school math teacher and the roads where he rode his bike.

09:48 PM BST

Pictured: Vance hits campaign trail in Ohio

09:34 PM BST

Harris ungrateful and ‘condemns’ America, says JD Vance

Speaking at a campaign rally in Ohio, JD Vance questioned Kamala Harris’ patriotism, saying that when the vice president gives a speech, “she talks about the history of this country not with appreciation but with condemnation.”

He added: “Not everything’s perfect. It’s never going to be. But you, if you want to lead this country, you should feel grateful for it. You should feel a sense of gratitude. And I never hear that gratitude come through when I listen to Kamala Harris.”

09:17 PM BST

Pelosi backs Harris with ‘limitless optimism’

Nancy Pelosi has endorsed Kamala Harris to be the new Democrat presidential nominee, saying she has “limitless optimism” for America’s future.

Ms Pelosi, a major Democrat powerbroker, had initially withheld her support for the vice president, but on Monday fell in behind Ms Harris with “enthusiastic support” she described as “official, personal and political”.

The former speaker of the House of Representatives is the latest in a string of party grandees, including Bill and Hillary Clinton, to endorse Ms Harris’ bid for the White House.

Ms Harris was on Monday also endorsed by several governors, including Wes Moore, of Maryland, Gretchen Whitmer, of Michigan, JB Pritzker, of Illinois, and Andy Beshear, of Kentucky.

However, other top Democrats, most notably Barack Obama, have held off pledging their support – calling instead for an “open” process to replace President Biden.

09:05 PM BST

Biden ‘thrown overboard’ by ‘elite democrats’, says JD Vance

JD Vance said Joe Biden was “thrown overboard” by “elite Democrats” in his first solo campaign rally Monday at his former high school in Middleton, Ohio.

Mr Vance tried to deflect the criticism that Donald Trump, who has refused to accept his 2020 loss to Biden and tried to overturn the results, is a threat to democracy. The Ohio senator claimed that the real threat came from the push by “elite Democrats” who “decided to throw Joe Biden overboard” and then have the party line up behind a replacement without primary contests.

“I was told I was going to debate Kamala Harris and now President Trump’s going to get to debate her,” Mr Vance said to laughs. “I’m kind of pi---d off about that, if I’m being honest with you.”

08:35 PM BST

Harris boards Air Force Two on campaign trail

Kamala Harris has boarded Air Force Two on her way to Wilmington, Delaware, to meet with Biden campaign staff.

The vice president’s office says she will hold a “campaign engagement” meeting with former Biden election staffers on Monday afternoon.

Ms Harris on Monday won the crucial backing of Democratic heavyweight Nancy Pelosi to lead the party against Donald Trump in November after Joe Biden’s exit from the presidential race.

08:29 PM BST

Speaker at JD Vance rally warns of ‘civil war’ if Trump loses election

One of the first speakers to introduce JD Vance at a campaign rally in Ohio on Monday has warned that a “civil war” could break out if Donald Trump loses the presidential election.

“I believe wholeheartedly, Donald Trump and Butler County’s JD Vance are the last chance to save our country,” said George Lang, a Republican state senator. “Politically, I’m afraid if we lose this one, it’s going to take a civil war to save the country and it will be saved. It’s the greatest experiment in the history of mankind.”

08:20 PM BST

Harris aims to secure nomination by Wednesday

Kamala Harris’s campaign aims to wrap up her presidential nomination by Wednesday night by securing a majority of the nearly 4,000 Democratic convention delegates needed to win, four sources with direct knowledge of the matter said.

Ms Harris’ campaign officials and allies have been making hundreds of phone calls to lock in delegate support ahead of the August 19-22 Chicago convention, while also seeking to block any would-be challengers, Reuters reported Sunday.

Locking in delegate support is essential to ensuring Ms Harris replaces Mr Biden on the November 5 ballot as the party’s nominee against Republican Donald Trump.

Ms Harris needs the support of a simple majority, or an estimated 1,969 of the 3,936 Democratic delegates, to secure her nomination at the August convention. About one-quarter have pledged to back her so far, based on public announcements.

08:01 PM BST

Where Harris stands on America’s key issues

Kamala Harris’s career includes stints as attorney general of California, as a senator and now as vice-president, writes Susie Coen, US Correspondent.

During this time, her political position has been fluid and she has not been tethered to an ideological wing of the party in the way that Joe Biden defined himself as a centrist.

So, where does Ms Harris stand on the most important issues ahead of the 2024 election? Read the full piece here.

07:49 PM BST

Harris running mates to be vetted by former attorney general

Eric Holder, the former US attorney general, and his law firm, Covington & Burling LLP, will conduct vetting of potential running mates for Kamala Harris’s presidential campaign, according to two sources familiar with the matter.

07:37 PM BST

Biden’s Covid symptoms have ‘almost resolved completely’

Joe Biden’s doctor, Kevin O’Connor, has said the US president is recovering well from his second bout of Covid.

“President Biden completed his tenth dose of Paxlovid (anti-viral medication) this morning,” Mr O’Connor said Monday.

“His symptoms have almost resolved completely. His pulse, blood pressure, respiratory rate and temperature remain absolutely normal.

“His oxygen saturation continues to be excellent on room air. His lungs remain clear. The President continues to perform all of his presidential duties. I will continue to keep your office updated with any changes in his condition or treatment plan.”

Mr Biden tested positive for coronavirus last Wednesday while attending a series of events in Las Vegas. The US president 81, cancelled a speech planned for that evening and was seen struggling to disembark from Air Force One. He has not been seen in public since as he has been self-isolating at his beach-front holiday home in Delaware.

07:32 PM BST

Watch: Farage says Trump family ‘incandescent’ over security failures

07:26 PM BST

Obama adviser: Democrats now ‘have a chance’

David Axelrod, senior adviser to former President Barack Obama, has said the Democrats now “have a chance” to win the US election in November, since Joe Biden has withdrawn from the race.

Mr Axelrod said Mr Biden’s endorsement of Kamala Harris not only erases concerns about the US president’s age and health, but elevates Ms Harris as a motivating, tested national candidate who has grown while in office.

“Democrats didn’t have a chance on Sunday and now they have a chance,” Mr Axelrod told the Associated Press Monday. “It’s really that simple.”

“I think that it’s a different race now because she has maybe some of his liabilities and she may have some of her own. But no one judges her as too old, or unfit in that way.”

07:15 PM BST

Harris-backing Super PAC raises $150m in 24 hours

A political action committee (PAC) that previously backed Joe Biden has raised $150 million (£115m) in the last 24 hours, according to reports.

It comes after an $80 million (£60m) donations boost to Ms Harris’s campaign after Mr Biden announced he was endorsing her to be the Democrats’ nominee in November’s election.

Future Forward, one of the main campaign groups backing Mr Biden, is building a war chest for Ms Harris for her last-minute campaign.

Politico reported that the group has received $150m since the announcement yesterday.

“Future Forward will continue working to make sure DONALD TRUMP is defeated in this election and those dangerous consequences are never felt by the American people,” a  senior aide told the news site.

07:08 PM BST

Whitmer rules herself out as running mate

Gretchen Whitmer, the governor of Michigan who is co-chairing Kamala Harris’s presidential campaign, has ruled herself out of the race to be her running mate.

“I’m not planning to go anywhere,” she told WLNS News, a local TV station.

“I am not leaving Michigan. I’m proud to be the governor of Michigan. I have been consistent. I know everyone is always suspicious and asking this question over and over again, I know you’re doing your job...I’m not going anywhere.”

Asked why she did not endorse Ms Harris until Monday morning, Ms Whitmer said she was “waiting for the dust to settle” and “speaking to colleagues” before announcing her support.

07:04 PM BST

Could Biden’s exit turn out to be Ukraine’s gain?

President Zelensky thanks Joe Biden for his “unwavering support” as the US President bows out of the forthcoming race.

He is right to be generous. After all, without American missiles and arms, Ukraine could not have survived the Russian onslaught. “Unwavering” is not the right word, though. It was President Biden’s remarks about how he might permit a “minor incursion” by Russia that helped embolden Vladimir Putin early in 2022.

Throughout the ensuing conflict, the Biden administration has used a strange combination of the spur and the reins. Obsessed with the idea that no US missile can be accused of taking aim at Russian soil, it issues Ukraine with excellent kit but then restricts its use.

Read the full comment piece, by Charles Moore, here.

06:57 PM BST

Watch: Harris praises Biden’s ‘unmatched legacy’ in first speech

Kamala Harris has praised Joe Biden’s legacy as “unmatched in modern history” in her first speech since the US president ended his re-election bid.

Speaking on the lawn of the White House, Ms Harris said that in one term, Mr Biden had “already surpassed” the accomplishments of many two-term presidents.

Ms Harris said Mr Biden, who is currently isolating with Covid at his home in Delaware, had “wanted to be here today” and was making a swift recovery.

The vice president was speaking at an event celebrating the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) championship teams from the past season.

On Monday, Ms Harris scooped up endorsements from a string of potential challengers to replace Mr Biden as the Democratic presidential nominee, boosting her chance of unifying the party behind her.

06:50 PM BST

JD Vance to make first solo campaign appearances

JD Vance, the Republican vice presidential nominee, is making his first solo appearances on the campaign trail, a day after the 2024 presidential race was thrown into upheaval as President Joe Biden dropped out of the race.

Mr Vance, an Ohio senator, and is scheduled to hold a rally in his hometown of Middletown, Ohio, on Monday afternoon, followed by a second rally Monday evening in Radford, Virginia.

Vendors outside of the Vance event in Ohio appeared for have pivoted quickly with the news of Mr Biden dropping out.

They had removed merchandise referencing Mr Biden and added coffee mugs, t-shirts and other items that featured Mr Vance.

06:28 PM BST

Macron praises Biden’s ‘courage’ and ‘sense of duty’

Emmanuel Macron, the French President, on Monday praised US counterpart Joe Biden’s “courage” and “sense of duty”, and called for the “spirit of partnership” between the two countries to continue beyond the next presidential election.

Mr Biden, 81, announced on Sunday that he was dropping out of the US presidential race following intense pressure to step aside after a dismal debate performance last month. He has since endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris as his replacement.

“I appreciate the courage, the spirit of responsibility and the sense of duty that led you to this decision,” wrote Mr Macron in a letter to Biden, extracts of which were made public by the Elysee Palace.

“At a time when we have just celebrated the 80th anniversary of D-Day together, I hope that this spirit of partnership between the two sides of the Atlantic will continue to drive the historic relations between our two countries.”

06:18 PM BST

Watch: Farage says Harris shouldn’t get votes for being a woman

06:15 PM BST

Brazil’s president hopes for ‘civilised’ US election

Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Brazil’s president, said Monday he hoped that November elections in the United States will be as “civilized as possible.”

“Whether (the winner) is a Democratic candidate or (Donald) Trump, our relationship will be a civilized one... I hope that the contest happens in the most civilized way possible... I hope nothing will happen that can put the symbol of democracy at risk,” Mr Lula told international press agencies in Brasilia.

The Democratic Party has promised a “transparent and orderly process” to replace 81-year-old Biden, after the president bowed Sunday to concerns over his age and mental acuity following a disastrous debate performance against Republican Trump in June.

06:04 PM BST

Kamala Harris the giggling fool will doom America

Ever since that grim and surreal night in November 2016 when Trump beat Hillary Clinton, a tough and experienced political battleaxe who lost out to her loutish, unprofessional opponent largely on the grounds of being a competent woman, American politics have been unremittingly bleak.

In the face of the chilling spectre of Trumpite election denial and the violent, undemocratic Capitol riots, four years of Biden was supposed to have set a new tone.

But the once-formidable politician made gaffe after gaffe from the start, gaffes so severe that his mental fortitude and cognitive health were always in question.

Read the full comment piece, by Zoe Strimpel, here.

06:00 PM BST

Mexican president praises Biden and Trump

Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, the president of Mexico, on Monday paid tribute to President Biden after he abandoned his reelection bid, voicing hope for continued good relations with Washington.

Mr Lopez Obrador, who will himself leave office on October 1, praised Mr Biden for his “good government” since becoming president in 2021.

The Mexican leftist said that he had enjoyed a good relationship with the Biden administration, lauding the Democrat’s “very good results” on the economy.

At the same time, he said that the economic success was also thanks to the revamp of a North American free trade deal under Biden’s predecessor Donald Trump, who is seeking a return to the White House.

05:51 PM BST

Major donors back Harris campaign

Kamala Harris is receiving support from major Democratic Party donors after President Joe Biden bowed out of the White House race – boosting her bid to secure the party’s nomination.

Among major names to back Ms Harris on Sunday afternoon were LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman, who wrote on social media: “I wholeheartedly support Kamala Harris and her candidacy for President of the United States in our fight for democracy in November.”

Alex Soros, chairman of the Open Society Foundations and son of George Soros, the billionaire philanthropist, also called for the public to “unite around Kamala Harris and beat Donald Trump.”

The Soros family are known to be mega-donors, spending tens of millions per election cycle.

Evercore founder Roger Altman told CNBC on Monday that as a Wall Street donor, he would line up behind Harris as well - adding that he expects her campaign to be “very well-financed.”

“Suddenly the Democratic base has gone from demoralized to excited,” he said.

However, Ms Harris still needs to persuade key hold-outs and convince some donors who are urging for an open contest to select the Democratic candidate that will take on Trump.

05:41 PM BST

Gretchen Whitmer co-chair of Harris campaign

Gretchen Whitmer, the governor of Michigan, has announced that she will serve as co-chair of Kamala Harris’ presidential campaign.

Ms Whitmer had been tipped as a potential contender to become the Democrat presidential nominee, but decided Sunday to endorse Ms Harris, who is currently the favoured candidate among many party grandees.

Ms Whitmer said: “In Vice President Harris, Michigan voters have a candidate they can count on to lower their costs, protect their freedoms, and build an economy that works for working people.

“Donald Trump is a convicted felon who stokes violence, overturned Roe, and drove our economy into the ground. We cannot let him anywhere near the White House.

“Vice President Harris, you have my full support. Let’s win this.”

05:31 PM BST

Harris heading to Delaware to meet with Biden campaign staff

Kamala Harris is heading to Delaware to meet with staffers of the reelection campaign that President Joe Biden gave up.

The vice president’s office says she will hold a “campaign engagement” meeting in Wilmington, Delaware, on Monday afternoon. The Biden reelection campaign headquarters occupies space in two buildings there.

Mr Biden endorsed Harris shortly after announcing he was leaving the presidential race. The campaign announced raising $49.6 million (£38m) in the hours after his announcement.

Ms Harris is not yet the formal Democratic presidential nominee, but top party elected officials and donors, as well as labor unions and leading advocacy groups, have endorsed her.

05:24 PM BST

Republican legal challenge to Harris ‘highly unlikely’ to succeed

A Republican legal challenge to Kamala Harris replacing Joe Biden as the Democratic nominee is “highly unlikely” to succeed, a constitutional law expert has said.

Some Republicans are discussing the possibility of challenging the decision to replace Mr Biden in state courts, where there are rules about the selection of candidates by a primary process.

But Lawrence Otter, an elections and constitutional law expert who has campaigned for Mr Biden for decades, said the case had little merit.

He told The Telegraph: “I wouldn’t be surprised if they tried it. But is it going to go anywhere? Highly unlikely. Most state courts have some case law that will tell them that they have to have a liberal interpretation of their election code to allow the voters to have a choice.

“It’s beyond imagination that state courts would allow a major party candidate not to be placed on the ballot.

“Stuff like that happened in the 1960s down south but I seriously doubt that in any of the states that’s going to happen this time.”

05:21 PM BST

Biden defiant amid calls for him to resign as president

Joe Biden has has pledged to continue serving as president until the end of his term, despite calls from Republicans for him to resign.

Mr Biden said Monday that he had dedicated his presidency to proving there was “nothing” America could not do if the country was united.

“I’ll continue to do so today, tomorrow, and every day that I have the honor of being your president,” he added.

It comes as a growing chorus of Republicans, including former President Donald Trump and his running mate JD Vance, have demanded he step down as president.

Moments after Mr Biden withdrew from the presidential race on Sunday, Mr Trump said Mr Biden was “not fit to run...and not fit to serve”, suggesting he thought the US president should leave office sooner rather than later.

Mr Vance wrote on X, formerly Twitter: “How can he justify remaining president? Not running for re-election would be a clear admission that President Trump was right all along about Biden not being mentally fit enough to serve as Commander-in-Chief. There is no middle ground.”

05:08 PM BST

Biden’s honour to continue to serve

Moments before Ms Harris addressed the crown at the White House, Joe Biden posted on Twitter: “We are the United States of America – there’s nothing we can’t do if we do it together.

“We just have to remember who we are.

“I’ve dedicated my presidency to proving that, and I’ll continue to do so today, tomorrow, and every day that I have the honour of being your president.”

05:05 PM BST

‘Laffin’ Kamala’

Viewers got a taste of why Donald Trump likes to mock Kamala Harris for her laugh.

The Republican presidential nominee has nicknamed her ‘Laffin’ Kamala’ for her uncontrolled laughter, which was on full display in her short speech.

Mr Trump said at a rally at the weekend: “I call her Laughing Kamala. Have you watched her laugh? She is crazy. You know, you can tell a lot by a laugh. No, she’s crazy. She’s nuts.”

05:01 PM BST

Harris sticks to script amid large press turnout

Reporters flocked to the White House for what was in the end a very short speech with no mention of the presidential race.

Ms Harris mostly stuck to the script for a pre-planned event to honour college athletes.

04:57 PM BST

Biden’s legacy is ‘unmatched in modern history’

Kamala Harris said in a short speech on the lawn of the White House:“Our president, Joe Biden, wanted to be here today. He is feeling much better and recovering fast, and he looks forward to getting back on the road. And I wanted to say a few words about our president. Joe Biden’s legacy of accomplishment over the past three years is unmatched in modern history.”

She added: “In one term, he has already surpassed the legacy of most presidents who have served two terms in office. And I first came to know president Biden through his son Beau. We worked together as attorneys general in our states, and back then, Beau would often tell me stories about his dad. He would talk about the kind of father and the kind of man that Joe Biden is.

“The qualities that Beau revered in his father are the same qualities that I have seen every day in our president, his honesty, his integrity, his commitment to his faith and his family, his big heart and his love, deep love of our country. And I am first-hand witness that every day our president, Joe Biden, fights for the American people, and we are deeply, deeply grateful for his service to our nation.”

04:37 PM BST

There will be no Harris coronation, says top Democrat

Shortly after Joe Biden announced that he would drop his reelection campaign, Jaime Harrison, chair of the Democratic National Committee, had a clear message: There would be no automatic coronation for his replacement.

“In the coming days, the party will undertake a transparent and orderly process to move forward,” Mr Harrison said in a statement. “This process will be governed by established rules and procedures of the party. Our delegates are prepared to take seriously their responsibility in swiftly delivering a candidate to the American people.“

04:32 PM BST

Pictured: Kamala Harris leaves her residence in a motorcade

04:30 PM BST

Kirsten Gillibrand endorses Harris

Kirsten Gillibrand, a Democrat senator from New York, today endorsed Kamala Harris and called her “an unwavering champion for families, workers and justice.”

Ms Gillibrand, who ran against Ms Harris in the 2020 Democratic presidential primary, said in a statement that the vice president is “incredibly well-qualified, with experience as a prosecutor, as a lawmaker, and as a leader on the world stage.”

“Now is the time to unite,” the senator said. “VP Harris has the grit and toughness to beat Donald Trump and I’m eager to join her in this fight.”

04:22 PM BST

Harris began campaign in ‘workout sweats and sneakers’

As President Joe Biden was deciding to withdraw from the race Sunday morning, Kamala Harris had multiple phone conversations with him, according to a person familiar who spoke only on background.

Ms Harris was at the vice president’s residence at the Naval Observatory in Washington. She was surrounded by family and staff and wore a hooded Howard University sweatshirt, workout sweats and sneakers, the person said.

She spent 10-plus hours Sunday placing calls to more than 100 party leaders, members of Congress, governors, labor leaders, and leaders of advocacy and civil rights organizations. Ms Harris told all that she was grateful Mr Biden endorsed her upon leaving the race but she planned to earn the Democratic presidential nomination in her own right.

The vice president also called her pastor, Amos Brown III, who, along with his wife, prayed over her.

04:14 PM BST

Harris attacks ‘felon’ Trump in first campaign statement

Kamala Harris used her first campaign statement as Joe Biden’s possible successor to declare Donald Trump a “felon” following his conviction in a hush money case.

Ms Harris, former California attorney general, is expected to lean heavily into her legal experience during her campaign to replace Mr Biden as Democrat nominee.

“Kamala Harris stands up to fraudsters and criminals. Donald Trump is a convicted felon,” the statement said.

Ammar Moussa, a former Biden campaign spokesman who is now working for Ms Harris, added: “Vice president Kamala Harris has held criminals accountable her entire career – and Donald Trump will be no different.”

While Ms Harris has “dedicated her career to making life better for working people”, Mr Moussa said, “Trump only cares about himself”.

Ms Harris put out a statement on X on Sunday, shortly after Mr Biden’s dramatic exit, stating: “My intention is to earn and win this nomination... I will do everything in my power to unite the Democratic Party — and unite our nation — to defeat Donald Trump.”

Trump responded saying he believes that Ms Harris will be even “easier to beat” than Mr Biden, who he declared “unfit to serve”. His campaign on Monday accused Ms Harris of being a “Biden 2.0”.

03:55 PM BST

‘Don’t rush the decision on Biden replacement’, says Bloomberg

Mike Bloomberg, a billionaire Democrat donor, has urged Democrats to not rush the decision to find a new presidential nominee after Joe Biden’s withdrawal from the race.

After thanking the president for his “honorable public service” and “selflessness”, Mr Bloomberg, a former New York mayor, said the party now has time for a “fresh new start”.

In a statement on X, he wrote: “There are still four weeks before the party’s more than 4,000 delegates convene in Chicago.

“That is more than enough time for the party to take the pulse of voters, especially in battleground states, to determine who is best positioned to win in November and lead the country over the next four years.

“We don’t need to get a resolution right away, but we do need to get it right. The decision is too important to rush, because the election is too important to lose.”

In June, it was revealed that Mr Bloomberg had given nearly $20 million (£15.5million) to help President Biden’s re-election effort.

03:47 PM BST

Kamala Harris lacks ‘star power’ says UK government source

As Vice President, Kamala Harris has had far less contact with UK politicians than Joe Biden, but she did travel to London in November for an event on the future of AI.

Those who dealt with her at the time were not impressed with her “star power” on the visit.

“She seemed pleasant enough, without being wildly exciting,” said one former UK aide who met her last year.

“Hillary Clinton had real charisma and she didn’t have any of that star power. Gina Raimondo, the US Commerce Secretary, was also far more impressive – more across detail and more confident.”

On the AI visit, they added: “It was definitely the White House and Commerce that were leading it. She was just the figurehead.”

03:32 PM BST

Secret Service chief: Trump shooting most significant failure in decades

Kimberly Cheatle, the director of the Secret Service, said the attempted assassination of Donald Trump was the “most significant operational failure” in decades.

“We failed. As the director of the United States Secret Service, I take full responsibility for any security lapse,” Ms Cheatle added at a committee hearing to discuss the gun attack at Trump’s rally in Pennsylvania on July 13.

03:28 PM BST

‘Let’s win this’: Whitmer endorses Harris

Grechen Whitmer, the governor of Michigan, has publicly endorsed Kamala Harris in her run for the White House.

Sharing her statement on X, Ms Whitmer said Michigan voters wanted a candidate they could “count on to focus on lowering their costs”, “restoring their freedom” and “building an economy that works for working people”.

Ms Whitmer was one of the four Democrats who polled ahead of Ms Harris and five points ahead of President Biden in battleground states, according to a recent Politico survey.

03:18 PM BST

Trump is still ‘unstoppable’ says Farage

Nigel Farage has said the Democrats have “lost the presidential election” and that Donald Trump looks “pretty unstoppable”, despite Joe Biden’s decision to stand down on Sunday.

“They’ve been covering up for this guy for years,” he told LBC. “He’s not been up to the job for years. Goodness knows why Sir Keir Starmer, our Prime Minister, who met with him, said everything was fine.

The Reform UK leader, who is friends with Trump, suggested Mr Biden had a serious mental condition.

“I wouldn’t wish dementia or Parkinson’s on anybody, I really wouldn’t, but the world has become a much more dangerous place,” he said.

“The withdrawal from Afghanistan was a catastrophe; crime in American cities is out of control.

“And what’s really happened here is they know they’ve lost the presidential election, Trump now looks to be pretty unstoppable, but self-interest has started to kick in.

“People are worried about their seats in the House of Representatives, and in the Senate, and they think by getting a different candidate, a few of them might be able to save themselves. That’s why it’s happened now.”

03:09 PM BST

Manchin: Harris is ‘too far left’

When asked if Kamala Harris is “too far left” on CBS Mornings, Joe Manchin, an influential independent senator, responded: “Absolutely. I’ve said that. And she knows that. I mean, they’ve gone to the left. But let’s see if she comes back.

“You know a person can be in one position and make a change or direction change. And I would like to see that direction change.”

Mr Manchin, who was said to be mulling over a possible bid for the Democrat nomination before later ruling it on Monday, did not declare who he would like to see on the presidential ticket. Instead, he called all the possible contenders for the Democrat nomination “good people”.

02:56 PM BST

Trump campaign brands Harris ‘Biden 2.0’

The Trump campaign has hit back at Kamala Harris, releasing a list of policies she supports and describing her as “Biden 2.0”.

Among the list of points the campaign is attacking her for is her support for “defunding the police” while working as a district attorney and senator in California.

“Harris supported Los Angeles’s cuts to their police department, called efforts to add more police to the streets ‘wrongheaded thinking,’ and opposed the death penalty for cop killers,” the campaign said in an email on Monday.

“She also raised money for the Minnesota Freedom Fund, a far-left organization which pays to bail violent criminals – including accused murderers and rapists – out of jail,” it said.

02:50 PM BST

Harris raises $50m after Joe Biden quits race

The Democrats received their largest haul of fundraising of the election so far in the hours after President Biden dropped out and endorsed Kamala Harris as his successor.

Nearly $49.6 million (£38 million) flooded into what is now the Harris for President campaign since Sunday’s announcement.

“This has been the biggest fundraising day of the 2024 cycle. Small-dollar donors are fired up and ready to take on this election,” fundraising group ActBlue said, who took in $46.7 million (£36 million).

The advocacy group Win With Black Women raised $1.5million (£1.15 million) in under 2 hours after 45,000 people joined a zoom call on Sunday to support Ms Harris.

02:46 PM BST

Hillary Clinton launches fundraiser for Harris

Hillary Clinton, former secretary of state, launched a fundraising appeal for Kamala Harris on Monday as she urged voters to become part of “this historic campaign”.

“I’ve known Kamala Harris a long time,” Ms Clinton wrote on X, alongside an old photo of them together.

“This brilliant prosecutor will make the case against convicted felon Donald Trump and the Project 2025 agenda to take away our freedoms.”

She added: “But she can’t do it alone.”

02:26 PM BST

Trump still odds-on favourite to win election

The latest political betting figures suggest the bookmakers still think Donald Trump will win this year’s presidential election.

As of this morning, data from Ladbrokes shows Trump is 1/2 to win the election, while Kamala Harris is 2/1.

Alex Apati, a spokesman for the company, said: “It’s all change in the election betting, and while Donald Trump remains odds-on favourite to come out on top, the betting suggests the race is far from over, with Kamala Harris hot on his heels.”

With the Democrats now heading into a last-minute open convention, the odds also show Michelle Obama is 16/1 to win, while Gavin Newsom is 20/1 and Gretchen Whitmer is 20/1. None of the three are expected to challenge Ms Harris.

02:16 PM BST

Andy Beshear open to being Harris’ running mate

Andy Beshear, Kentucky’s governor, has signalled he is open to being Kamala Harris’ running mate if she receives the Democrat nomination.

Asked on MSNBC if he was “at least open to the possibility of being a running mate to vice president Harris,” Mr Beshear said: “I think if somebody calls you on that, what you do is, is at least listen.”

Mr Beshear, who had been a possible contender to replace President Biden but has now thrown his support behind Ms Harris, spoke with the vice president on Sunday, a source told CNN.

02:10 PM BST

Sinn Fein leader thanks Biden for his support of Ireland

Sinn Fein’s leader has thanked Joe Biden for his support of Ireland during the Brexit negotiations after the US president withdrew from the White House race.

Mary Lou McDonald, said, “As President Biden steps back from elected office it is important to recognise that he played a significant role in supporting the peace process in Ireland.

“Throughout his Presidency his steadfast support of the Good Friday Agreement during Brexit helped ensure there was no hard border reinstated on the island of Ireland.”

Mr Biden, the most Irish president since John F Kennedy,  intervened several times when Britain was at odds with the EU over post-Brexit arrangements for Northern Ireland.

He backed Dublin’s arguments that ripping up the Irish Sea border deal would put the peace process at risk by bringing back a hard border between Northern Ireland and the Republic.

Mr Biden warned the UK that it could forget any hopes of a US-UK trade deal, long seen as a prize of Brexit, if Boris Johnson’s government tore up the Brexit treaty.

That angered Brexiteers and some senior unionists accused Mr Biden of hating Britain and of harbouring dreams of a united Ireland.

As a senator in 1985, Mr Biden watered down an extradition treaty with Britain that would have made it easier to extradite IRA terrorists.

Taoiseach Simon Harris said Mr Biden was “a proud American with an Irish soul.”

Without mentioning Brexit, Mr Harris said Mr Biden had “always been an unwavering voice and passionate worker for peace on the island of Ireland and our country owes him a great debt for this.”

02:09 PM BST

Diane Abbott: Best thing Biden ever did was resign

Diane Abbott has launched a scathching attack on President Biden, declaring the best thing he ever did “was beat Trump in 2020 and resign now”.

The Labour MP added on X that his policy towards the Israel-Gaza crisis will “forever sully” his legacy.

02:05 PM BST

Which Democrat could beat Trump in the election? Have your say...

01:36 PM BST

Harris to speak today in first public appearance since Biden stood down

Kamala Harris is expected to speak at the White House on Monday, in her first appearance since President Joe Biden ended his re-election bid and endorsed her as his successor.

Ms Harris is set to make a speech at an event celebrating the National Collegiate Athletic Association championship teams from the 2023-2024 season, according to CNN.

Some 52 teams travel to Washington for the annual event.

01:33 PM BST

Biden’s staff told of his exit one minute before public

Joe Biden’s staff were notified he was stepping away from the 2024 race just one minute before the public announcement, according to close to the day’s events.

A small group of senior advisers from both the campaign and the White House were assembled for the 1:45pm for a call to relay Mr Biden’s decision, while his campaign staff released the social media announcement one minute later.

“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 solely on fulfilling my duties as President for the remainder of my term,” Mr Biden wrote.

Just about a half-hour later came his public vote of support for Ms Harris.

01:23 PM BST

‘I am no longer going to be a candidate for president,’ says Manchin

Joe Manchin has now ruled out the possibility he would run for president in the wake of President Biden standing down.

“I’m not running for office. I could not believe that there was not going to be a primary process or a mini process. Other countries do it. I’m not looking for — I don’t need that as far as in my life, the attention that people think that, when you speak up, you’re just looking for attention,” he told CBS News.

Earlier on Monday, Manchin said he was “pursuing the process” towards putting his name on the ticket for the Democrat presidential nominee, however he had admitted that “it’s almost impossible” for him to win after he left the party in May to become an independent.

Read more on the West Virginia senator here.

01:07 PM BST

Biden delayed stepping down as he ‘doubts Kamala’

President Biden delayed stepping down in part because he doubted Kamala Harris was up to the challenge of an election battle with Donald Trump, sources have said.

The 81-year-old president dramatically withdrew from the race on Sunday and endorsed his vice president after weeks of calls for him to stand aside over growing concerns over his age and declining health.

However, the reason Mr Biden and his senior advisers’ hesitated for so long was a lack of faith in Ms Harris, 59, due to her occasionally rocky tenure, three Biden aides familiar with recent talks about his plans told Axios.

The next week will be critical for Ms Harris as she seeks to clear the fields of possible contenders blocking her path to a coronation.

12:30 PM BST

Harris spoke with Obama and Clinton

Kamala Harris has already spoken to former presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton, as well as former secretary of state Hillary Clinton, according to a source close to her campaign.

The conversations were part of the more than 10 hours that Ms Harris spent on the phone on Sunday as she sought to establish her allies and prepare for her election bid in the wake of President Biden’s exit from the race, according to CNN.

As we reported earlier, the vice president reached more than 100 party leaders, lawmakers, governors, labor leaders and leaders of advocacy and civil rights organizations on Sunday.

The Clintons have thrown their support behind Ms Harris, while Mr Obama is yet to comment on her bid for the nomination.

12:15 PM BST

Manchin: I am pursuing the process of a White House bid

Joe Manchin, a former longtime Democrat turned independent, said he is “pursuing the process” towards putting his name on the ticket for the Democrat presidential nominee.

“I think going through some sort of a process would have been very enlightening to everybody. So I’m pursuing the process. I really believe strongly along with, I think, former president Obama and speaker Nancy Pelosi both think there should be a process.”

His comments references the fact that both Mr Obama and Ms Pelosi have not yet endorsed Kamala Harris.

Earlier on Monday, Mr Manchin’s key adviser Jonathan Kott said the West Virginia senator was open to running as a moderate option, marking the first elected official to signal an openness to challenge Ms Harris.

11:56 AM BST

‘Kamala IS brat’: Charlie XCX endorses Harris

British singer Charli XCX has endorsed Kamala Harris’ bid for the Democrat nomination, writing online: “Kamala IS brat”.

The comment, posted late on Sunday, has already racked up 15.5 million views on X and is in reference to her latest album “brat” which came out last month.

The album proved immensely popular with young people online and has sparked a wave of memes and a new aesthetic under the banner of ‘brat summer’ - a seeming rejection of the recently popularised ‘clean girl’ aesthetic.

It is described by Charli as someone who has a “pack of cigs, a Bic lighter and a strappy white top with no bra”.

11:35 AM BST

‘Biden is not a prince, we don’t have coronations’

Political strategist Steve Schmidt has called it a “mistake” for President Biden to attempt to anoint his successor as if he were part of a royal family.

Speaking to Puck, he said: “It’s a mistake for him [Biden] to try to anoint the vice president, because in America we don’t have coronations. This is not the Prince of Wilmington who abdicates to the Duchess of San Francisco.”

However, he added that Ms Harris is likely to become the new Democrat candidate unless people act “quickly”.

Mr Schmidt said: “There are exactly six Democrats who have standing to challenge her under the proposition of, ‘Hey, I’m a better candidate.’ But those people have to move on her, and absent one of them moving, she will be the Democratic nominee.

“It’s a choice right now. They have to do it quickly. I’m talking to a major Democratic donor for Joe Biden who said to me, ‘I don’t see how they pass over her, but we shall see.’ They will have to consolidate fast if she’s going to survive.”

11:25 AM BST

Harris-Trump poll finds close race and no clear leader

Recent poll figures that tested how Kamala Harris was shaping up against Donald Trump revealed a tight race with no clear leader.

CNN’s ‘Poll of Polls’, which takes an average from the six most recent national surveys of American voters, found that Trump holds 49 per cent support, while Ms Harris was just behind at 47 per cent.

Each poll was conducted after President Biden’s disasters debate performance on June 27 and just one – the CBS/YouGov poll – was taken after the assassination attempt on Trump on July 13.

11:16 AM BST

Key Democrats don’t endorse Kamala Harris

Kamala Harris has failed to secure the backing of senior Democrats after she announced her bid for presidential nominee with President Biden’s endorsement.

There has been telling silence from both Barack Obama and Nancy Pelosi, the former speaker who wields significant power. Neither Senator Chuck Schumer, the majority leader, and Hakeem Jeffries, the minority House leader, have backed a Harris coronation.

However, Ms Harris has won the support of Gretchen Whitmer, the governor of Michigan, and Gavin Newsom, California’s governor, who had both been touted as possible contenders for the nomination.

The Clintons also endorsed the vice president, saying on Sunday they “fight with everything we’ve got” to support her run for Oval Office. Mr Biden’s campaign has already been renamed “Kamala HQ” on social media

“My intention is to earn and win this nomination,” Ms Harris said in a statement shortly after Mr Biden’s dramatic exit from the race. “I will do everything in my power to unite the Democratic Party — and unite our nation — to defeat Donald Trump.”

11:07 AM BST

Starmer: Not an easy decision for Biden to stand down

Sir Keir Starmer has said it would not have been an easy decision for Joe Biden to abandon his hopes of re-election to the White House.

The Prime Minister said he respected a decision made in the “best interests of the American people” and insisted he would work with whoever won the US election in November.

Sir Keir, who had talks at the White House with Mr Biden earlier this month while in Washington for the Nato summit, said: “I respect that decision that he has now made.

“Not an easy decision, but a decision that I know that he will have arrived at taking into account the best interests of the American people, and I look forward to working with him for the remainder of his presidency.”

He refused to comment on his relationship with Ms Harris, saying: “Obviously in the first instance, it’s for the Democratic Party to decide who they want to put forward.”

10:42 AM BST

Voters react to Biden stepping down

10:40 AM BST

Can Kamala Harris shake off her weaknesses to beat Trump?

A lampooning from a major US satire show is something of a rite of passage for politicians; as much a confirmation of status as a ritual in humiliation.

But when the Daily Show ridiculed Kamala Harris’s unfortunate predisposition for word salads earlier this year, they hit on something that has concerned even the vice president’s allies.

In the skit, impersonator Desi Lydic summarised Ms Harris’s approach to public speaking.

“It’s a process I call speaking without thinking,” she said. “It’s not about the destination of the thought, it’s about the journey and how many words you use to describe the journey.”

Ms Harris’s tendencies for vague terms and repetition, sometimes to the point of absurdity, have, fairly or unfairly, become a defining feature of her vice presidency and a regular source of ridicule for Republicans.

Read the full story here.

10:33 AM BST

Is Kamala Harris the right choice? Have your vote...

10:25 AM BST

‘Win With Black Women’ raises $1.5m for Harris

More than 45,000 people gathered late Sunday on a Zoom call organized by the advocacy group Win With Black Women to support Kamala Harris’ campaign.

The group said it raised over $1.5 million (£1.15 million) in just 100 minutes.

10:18 AM BST

How is Kamala Harris faring?

09:50 AM BST

Kamala Harris ‘will attack Trump’s age’ if anointed Democratic candidate

Kamala Harris will attack Donald Trump’s age during her presidential campaign if she becomes the Democratic party’s nominee, her deputy chief of staff has said.

Trump, 78, officially became the oldest nominee running for president in US history when Joe Biden dramatically quit the race on Sunday.

Erin Wilson, a West Wing veteran, told a call with the group Win With Black Women that Ms Harris would make “the issue of age and fitness a liability for Trump”, The New York Times reported. “Her role as a prosecutor makes her the ultimate contrast to Trump, the convicted felon,” Ms Wilson added.

Trump said on Sunday he believes that Ms Harris will be “easier to beat” than Mr Biden as his campaign immediately went on the attack against the new entrance to the presidential election.

Ms Harris has received a groundswell of support to lead the party. However, Barack Obama and Nancy Pelosi, the former House speaker, have not yet explicitly endorsed the vice president.

09:38 AM BST

‘Welcome to Kamala HQ’

The official social media account for Joe Biden’s former presidential campaign on X has now been rebranded as @KamalaHQ.

The apparatus around the president’s campaign is now being repurposed to support the possible new Democrat nominee.

In its first post after the rapid rebrand, it said: “Welcome to Kamala HQ.”

09:33 AM BST

Sen. Warren: Harris is battle tested and ready to go on

Elizabeth Warren , senator of Massachusetts, has expressed her confidence in the vice president’s ability to take on Donald Trump and win the election.

“She has been vice president for three-and-a-half years now. She’s been on the front lines. she is now battle tested and ready to go,” Ms Warren said.

“I don’t have any doubts about Kamala Harris’ ability to win, and more importantly, I don’t have any doubts about Kamala Harris’ abilities to govern as president of our United States Of America.”

Senator Warren also contracted Ms Harris’ record with Trump’s recent conviction. “When the guy on the other side is a convicted felon… that former prosecutor, Kamala Harris, is going to be the right person to hold Donald Trump accountable,” she added.

09:08 AM BST

Pictured: Biden supporters outside the White House

08:48 AM BST

Harris spoke with Biden ‘several times’ before his announcement

Kamala Harris spoke with President Biden several times over the phone on Sunday before he announced he was withdrawing from the presidential race and would endorse her campaign, a source said.

Before the Vice President began over 10 hours of frantic calls to over 100 party leaders, members of Congress, governors and advocacy and civil rights organisations, she spoke at length with Mr Biden about his decision and what was next, a person familiar with the talks told the Wall Street Journal.

08:29 AM BST

Exclusive: Newsom unlikely to challenge Harris

Gavin Newsom is unlikely to challenge Kamala Harris for the Democratic nomination, allies of the California governor believe.

Garry South, a Democratic strategist who is close to Mr Newsom, said no serious contender would put themselves forward for the top of the Democratic ticket.

He said that included Gretchen Whitmer, the governor of Michigan, who has also been touted as a potential replacement for Joe Biden.

“For better or worse the nominee is Kamala Harris,” said Mr South, who also knows the vice president from her time in California.

He added that as the sitting vice president, it would be extremely difficult for any other candidate to challenge her bid. In addition, attempting to “bypass the first female Vice President, first black Vice President” would risk “huge blowback” from Democratic voters.

08:18 AM BST

Harris spent 10 hours on the phone on Sunday

Kamala Harris spent 10 hours on the phone on Sunday, including multiple conversations with President Biden, according to sources familiar with the events.

Surrounded by her family and aides, Ms Harris placed over 100 calls to party leaders, members of Congress, governors and top advocacy and civil rights organisations.

The sources told CNN that Ms Harris had a clear message to all - she was grateful for the president’s endorsements but will work hard to win it in her own right.

Ms Harris is said to have also called in her pastor, Amos Brown III, who “prayed over her” through the day’s events.

08:16 AM BST

All is forgiven: US liberal media praise ‘courageous’ Joe Biden for dropping out

US liberal media has praised Joe Biden for his decision to withdraw from the US presidential race, despite the damage he inflicted on his party for failing to drop out sooner.

After weeks of heavy-handed criticism and calls for Mr Biden to stand aside, liberal media outlets have now lauded the “extraordinary” and “patriotic” president for standing aside.

The New York Times published an opinion piece by Frank Bruni which said that Mr Biden’s bowing out at the 11th hour was “utterly extraordinary”.

The LA Times called it “courageous” and “patriotic” in its opinion pieces, while CNN labelled his exit the “hardest decision any politician can make”.

Emotional scenes played out across left-leaning American television as the news broke on Sunday, with several supporters choking up on-air.

“This is leadership, this is patriotism,” CNN commentator Van Jones said, adding that he loved Mr Biden. “If your arm gets tired you let somebody else finish pitching the game.”

The “Sunday sobbing” prompted ridicule from the New York Post which said the Liberal media had gone into a “meltdown”.

The Wall Street Journal did not join in with the outpouring of respect for Mr Biden and branded “the bet on Joe Biden” an “epic miscalculation”.

The Journal’s columnists led with: “The Democrats misled their own voters” and “The Democrats will pay for the big Biden Lie”.

07:56 AM BST

Biden’s exit is too little, too late

Joe Biden has quit the presidential race; Kamala Harris gets his endorsement. To paraphrase the vice president, now we get to imagine what the Democratic ticket could be, unburdened by what was.

Alas, the pair have left it too late to act. The Democratic Party’s reputation, either for compassion or brutal competence, is already damaged.

Biden would still be in the running but for four critical developments. First, his June 27 debate against Donald Trump, which exposed to the world what insiders had known for months: he is physically and mentally in decline. Second, the attempted assassination of the Republican nominee on July 13, which has softened public attitudes towards Trump.

The whole point of debating Trump in the summer rather than the autumn was to remind voters how dislikable he can be. On the contrary, it painted him as the more statesmanlike and vigorous candidate. Recent polling suggests a landslide GOP win come November.

Read the full story here.

07:33 AM BST

Harris begins fundraising

Kamala Harris has already begun sending out fundraising emails to bolster her campaign.

“I am running to be president of the United States,” one of the emails sent on Sunday said, asking people to donate anything from $20 (£15) to $500 (£387), or “other” amounts.

“I am honoured to have the president’s endorsement and my intention is to earn and win this nomination,” the Vice President told Americans.

07:26 AM BST

Harris ‘coronation’ seeming likely

Two state Democrat groups in Tennessee and New Hampshire have announced that all their delegates pledged to Joe Biden will instead vote for Kamala Harris at the Democratic National Convention next month.

It appears that other contenders — including Gretchen Whitmer — are unlikely to run against Ms Harris. Gavin Newsom endorsed Ms Harris on Sunday night.

But if these state groups continue to pledge support for her in advance, it may be that the vote is sewn up for her anyway.

We look to be heading towards a Harris coronation.

07:24 AM BST

Whitmer won’t challenge Harris, US media reports

Gretchen Whitmer will not challenge Ms Harris for the Democratic nomination, according to US media reports that cited a source with knowledge of her plans.

The New York Times reported that Ms Whitmer took part in a campaign phone call earlier on Sunday as part of a bid to bolster staff for Ms Harris’s campaign efforts.

07:23 AM BST

Democratic chairs endorse Harris

All Democratic state party chairs have backed Kamala Harris to be the party’s new presidential nominee.

The chairs held a conference call after Joe Biden announced he was stepping down.

“Following President Biden’s announcement, our members immediately assembled to unite behind the candidate who has a track record of winning tough elections, and who is a proven leader on the issues that matter to Americans: reproductive freedom, gun violence prevention, climate protection, justice reform, and rebuilding the economy,” said Ken Martin, president of the Association of State Democratic Committees, in a statement.

“That person is our sitting Vice President Kamala Harris.”

06:41 AM BST

Biden changed his mind after polling data

Internal polling data shown to Joe Biden by top aides on Saturday night prompted him to finally pull the pin on his presidential race.

The data showed that Mr Biden was not just trailing in all six critical swing states that could decide the election, but also collapsing in places like Virginia and Minnesota, where Democrats had not planned on needing to spend massive resources.

Only a day before, Joe Biden was telling many aides that he would continue campaigning to defeat Trump in November.

In the words of one source, “the message was proceed with everything, full speed ahead”.

But after digesting the polling data late on Saturday, Mr Biden changed his mind.

“This was really closely held,” an official said. “It came as a surprise to most White House folks.”

06:34 AM BST

‘It’s time for a nap’: How the world reacted when Biden quit

Some press were ruthless, others played it straight and a few were satirical in their coverage of Joe Biden quitting the presidential race.

The New York Post’s website read: “It’s Joe-ver”. And in Australia, Sydney paper The Daily Telegraph issued a new digital edition with the headline: “He had to Joe.”

The Daily Star’s front page read: “Sleepy Joe: It’s time for a nap!”

Read the full story here

06:26 AM BST

Read the statements from leaders around the world

06:25 AM BST

Celebrities throw their support behind Harris

Several actors, singers and other celebrities have throw their support behind Kamala Harris.

Star Trek actor George Takei led a wave of celebrity responses to Mr Biden’s announcement of stepping down, calling the President a “patriot” and urging people to “unite behind Kamala Harris”.

He wrote on X: “I want to honour our President Joe Biden. He has served our nation admirably for decades, he is a decent honorable man, a hugely successful president, and a patriot. Now let us unite behind Kamala Harris and defeat Donald Trump in November!”

Singer John Legend posted a statement alongside an Instagram post calling for the American public to “elect Kamala Harris as our President”.

“She’s ready for this fight and I’m excited to help her in any way I can,” Legend said.

Actress Jamie Lee Curtis said: “I support wholeheartedly Joe Biden and his decision to step down and to endorse unreservedly Kamala Harris.

“She is trusted and tested and she is a fierce advocate for women’s rights and people of colour and her message is one of hope and unity for America at her time of great national divide.”

06:23 AM BST

‘Mini-primary’ would be beneficial, say Democrats

Key Democrats believe Ms Harris would benefit from what some call a “mini-primary” to show sceptics, party donors and Americans that she is the best fit for the job.

It would also give contenders a chance to compete or at least debut as potential running mates.

Ms Harris has received a groundswell of support to lead the party. However, Barack Obama and Nancy Pelosi have not yet explicitly endorsed the Vice President.

Ms Harris had phone calls with congressional lawmakers to rack up support late on Sunday, including Rep. Annie Kuster of New Hampshire and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer.

06:20 AM BST

What do the polls say?

According to polls, Ms Harris performs no better statistically than Mr Biden against Trump.

In a head-to-head match-up, Ms Harris and Trump were tied with 44pc support each in a July 15-16 Reuters/Ipsos poll, conducted after the July 13 assassination attempt on Trump.

Trump led Biden 43pc to 41pc in that same poll, though the 2 percentage point difference was not meaningful considering the poll’s 3-point margin of error.

06:19 AM BST

Welcome

We will be bringing you the latest news on the US presidential race today after Joe Biden’s decision to quit.

A Kamala Harris coronation is seeming likely after she secured the support of top Democrats overnight.

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