Michigan Democrats react to Joe Biden dropping out of 2024 presidential race

Michigan Democrats largely said President Joe Biden's decision to withdraw from the presidential race did not change their focus this fall: defeating former President Donald Trump.

But the messages of a united front against Trump belie the uncertainty that awaits a party awash in turmoil since a disastrous debate performance spurred calls for the 81-year-old Biden to step aside as the Democratic nominee.

They also come amid Republican calls, sensing a clear advantage, for Biden to resign the presidency immediately.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer — a popular name bandied about by those speculating on possible Biden replacements — heralded Biden's accomplishments while vowing to remain committed to her party's cause.

"President Biden is a great public servant who knows better than anyone what it takes to defeat Donald Trump. His remarkable work to lower prescription drug costs, fix the damn roads, bring supply chains home, address climate change, and ensure America’s global leadership over decades will go down in history," Whitmer said in a statement Sunday afternoon posted to X, previously called Twitter.

"My job in this election will remain the same: doing everything I can to elect Democrats and stop Donald Trump, a convicted felon whose agenda of raising families’ costs, banning abortion nationwide, and abusing the power of the White House to settle his own scores is completely wrong for Michigan."

Whitmer did not specifically say Sunday she would not seek her party's nomination and did not endorse any other candidate. But before Biden's decision, she repeatedly denied any immediate White House interest and expressed support for the president.

More: Joe Biden drops out of 2024 race amid growing pressure from top Democrats

After weeks of calls to step aside for a younger Democratic nominee, Biden, 81, announced Sunday he would endorse Vice President Kamala Harris for his party's presidential pick. Many other Democrats followed suit, almost immediately announcing their support for Harris, including U.S. Rep. Debbie Dingell, D-Ann Arbor, a longtime friend of Biden and his wife, Jill.

Dingell told the Free Press she cried when she heard the news Biden was stepping down.

Biden, she said, "is a dedicated public servant and a dear friend who has helped me through some of life's most challenging moments. ... I am proud of his legacy of service to our nation and know he remains committed to continuing his important work through the remainder of his term. His leadership has helped build a stronger and more unified America and he has changed our country for the better."

The pressure had been building on Biden for weeks as dozens of Democrats called for him to step aside ahead of the Democrats' nominating convention next month in Chicago amid worries he would lose to Trump in November.

"It has been the greatest honor of my life to serve as your President," Biden said in a written statement issued shortly before 2 p.m. "And while it has been my intention to seek reelection, I believe it is in the best interest of my party and my country for me to stand down and to focus solely on my duties as President for the rest of my term."

Michigan Democratic Party Chair Lavora Barnes praised Biden's lengthy history of service, especially to Michigan.

“President Biden has always been there for Michigan, and Michigan Democrats will always be grateful for his vision of a country that sets aside its differences and finds hope in a brighter future, together.

“Mr. President, you have been our fearless leader, our friend, and an incredible public servant — and we can never thank you enough.”

In Grand Rapids on Saturday, Trump joked that he wanted Biden to stay in the race. He and other Republicans have repeatedly suggested Biden presented them their best chance at winning. A Free Press poll released Sunday showed Trump up seven percentage points against Biden in Michigan, an unheard of margin for a Republican president in the state in decades.

During the rally at Van Andel Arena, Trump conducted a tongue-in-cheek poll of audience members: would they prefer he take on Biden or Harris in the fall?

Judging by the roars of the audience, they wanted Biden.

In a statement Sunday sent to supporters, Trump called Biden "the worst president ever" while asking for donations to defeat whoever gets the Democratic Party nomination.

Democrats praise Biden, largely line up behind Harris as nominee

U.S. Rep. Elissa Slotkin, D-Holly, who is the front-runner for the Democratic nomination to Michigan’s open U.S. Senate seat, posted on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, a statement saying, “Few public servants have given more to our country than Joe Biden. His record of accomplishment as a senator, vice president, and as president of the United States is unmatched.”

“Over the last four years I’ve been proud to partner with his administration to take on Big Pharma, bring down the cost of prescription drugs, and to secure the biggest federal investment in Michigan’s infrastructure since the 1950s, to say nothing of delivering the biggest expansion of veterans’ healthcare benefits in decades,” Slotkin continued. “Joe Biden has always put country first, and with today’s announcement he’s doing so again. Over the next four months, everyone who cares about our fragile democracy — Democrats, Independents and Republicans alike — must work together to defend it by electing a Democratic president this November.”

Slotkin had seen the race for the Senate seat, previously rated as lean Democrat, changed to toss-up by the influential Cook Political Report because of what was seen as Biden’s drag on the Democratic ticket nationwide.

U.S. Rep. Dan Kildee, D-Flint Township, who is stepping down at the end of this term, praised Biden’s lifetime of service and said he has been “a remarkable and effective president with historic accomplishments.”

“Because of President Biden’s leadership, America came out of the pandemic with the strongest economy in the world. Working with a Democratic Congress, President Biden signed historic legislation to cut taxes for working families and rebuild our country’s infrastructure. He made the single largest investment to combat climate change and for the first time in three decades passed a law to reduce gun violence. President Biden restored America’s reputation around the world, strengthening our alliances, expanding the NATO, and helping to promote democracy around the globe,” Kildee said in a statement.

“Joe Biden will go down in history as one of America’s most effective presidents. Not only has he been an extraordinary leader with many accomplishments, but he has also shown the American people how to lead with honesty, decency and empathy. All Americans owe President Biden a debt of gratitude for his decades of service to the American people.”

Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson and Attorney General Dana Nessel, both Democrats, also thanked Biden.

"President Biden will be remembered as one of the most successful and transformational presidents in U.S. history. His sacrifice of putting country before self makes him a modern-day George Washington," Nessel posted on X.

Benson asked supporters to continue to focus on winning in November.

"It is up to all of us — we, the people — to harness our power, rise above the noise, and work together to ensure the promise of democracy survives and thrives," Benson said.

Michigan House Speaker Joe Tate, D-Detroit, called Biden a patriot for his decision.

"Joe Biden stands for what is good and decent, and his selfless choice is yet another example of his commitment to public service and to our great country," Tate posted on X.

Both Kildee and Tate endorsed Harris to replace Biden as the party's nominee, as did Democratic U.S. Reps. Haley Stevens, of Birmingham, and Shri Thanedar, of Detroit. Stevens called Biden's decision to step aside "yet another example of his extraordinary leadership and lifelong dedication to doing what he believes is right for our nation."

"While I wanted to help him secure reelection in November, I respect his decision. Thank you, Mr. President, for a lifetime of service," Stevens said. "I will now turn my attention to supporting Vice President Kamala Harris as our Democratic nominee, as Mr. Biden has asked of us. I look forward to making her the first woman president of our great nation."

Thanedar called Biden "the most effective President in American history," adding, "We owe you a debt of gratitude."

Also coming out for Harris to be the Democratic nominee was U.S Rep. Hillary Scholten, D-Grand Rapids, the only member of Michigan's congressional delegation who had joined the more than 30 others in the U.S. House and Senate who had openly called for Biden to step aside as nominee.

Meanwhile, U.S. Sen. Gary Peters, D-Michigan, issued a poignant statement about Biden's decision. "There is no greater dedication a leader can make than sacrifice," he said. U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow, also D-Michigan, called Biden's stepping aside as nominee "another courageous action in his long history of service to our country.”

Stabenow endorsed Harris "without hesitation," she said. Peters did the same, some hours later. "She’s an exemplary leader, knows what it takes to deliver when it matters most, and has my full support," he said.

State Sen. Mallory McMorrow, D-Royal Oak, also posted on social media almost immediately after Biden announced his decision shortly before 2 p.m. Sunday and used it as an opportunity to blast Trump, who has been leading in the polls in Michigan and held a rally in Grand Rapids on Saturday night.

“One man says ‘I alone can do this’ and demands you fall in line or be destroyed,” McMorrow wrote, referring to Trump. “One man knows the fate of a nation of 330 million is far bigger than one man. This is a selfless decision that the country will recognize for the rest of our history. And I know which side I’m on.”

Decision comes after weeks of criticism

Calls for Biden to step aside grew in volume after a shaky debate performance in late June, when the president verbally stumbled through several remarks. After the debate, a growing chorus within his own party began calling for Biden to step down before the Democratic National Convention in August.

Biden initially batted down calls to leave the race, including at a raucous rally in Detroit on July 12 where a crowd of thousands chanted “don’t you quit,” during his remarks. But public opinion polling shows Trump leading Biden in several key swing states crucial to winning the election, Michigan among them. Many of the Democrats who said Biden should step aside directly referenced the party’s need to defeat Trump.

Biden’s age has long been a concern surrounding his campaign, even dating to his 2020 run. A recent bout of COVID-19 that forced him from the campaign trail did not help his efforts to stay in the race.

And even as Democrats were showing praise on Biden for his decision Sunday and many were calling for unity around Harris to replace him as nominee, Republican voices from Michigan and elsewhere growled that they wanted more from the president: namely, that he resign the office.

Posting on social media, U.S. Rep. Jack Bergman, R-Watersmeet, said the media and the Democrats "have told us for over a year to 'not believe our lying eyes,' " but questioned how, "If he can't handle being a candidate, why would he be able to handle the daily rigors of the presidency?"

He also said Harris is "as culpable" as other Democrats in a "scheme to subvert democracy" by replacing Biden as the nominee after he made it through the primary season.

U.S. Rep. John James, R-Shelby Township, sounded a similar note. "If Joe Biden is unfit to run for re-election, he is unfit to run our country. This is a major national security crisis. Joe Biden should resign the presidency immediately," he wrote on X.

U.S. Rep. Lisa McClain, R-Bruce Township, added, "Every Democrat has lied, misled and covered up Biden’s cognitive decline for years now. Kamala Harris was complicit in this cover-up and would be an even more disastrous president than Biden." She also called for Biden to resign the presidency, though he has clearly indicated he intends to serve out his term.

Is it Harris?

With Biden no longer being the party's candidate, the political calculus now turns to who will replace him atop the Democratic ticket in November, though the early front-runner was obviously Harris, given the early support she was receiving.

More: As President Joe Biden steps aside, would America be ready for President Kamala Harris?

Harris had already been considered among the front-runners at the Democratic National Convention if it was to be decided there. With Harris’ name already being attached to the campaign as Biden’s running mate, she can assume the campaign, along with its infrastructure and funding.

But other popular Democratic figures have been floated as potential Biden replacements — California Gov. Gavin Newsom is another Biden ally who has been cast as a potential replacement. He spent July 4 in Michigan, meeting with Democrats on the west side of the state.

With Harris receiving Biden's endorsement, others will focus on her possible vice presidential pick. Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro and North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper are names mentioned among those guessing at potential running mates.

Democrats formally nominate their party's pick at the Democratic National Convention, slated for Chicago in mid-August.

Contact Todd Spangler: tspangler@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter@tsspangler.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan Democrats react to Joe Biden dropping out of race