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These Michigan Democrats backed VP Kamala Harris to replace Biden; GOP urges resignation [1]
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Date: 2024-07-21
Lansing — Some key Michigan Democrats said Sunday they expect their party to quickly unify behind Vice President Kamala Harris as its nominee after President Joe Biden dropped his reelection bid.
Five of Michigan's seven U.S. House Democrats, both of the state's U.S. senators and the Michigan Democratic Party's chairwoman backed Harris after Biden dropped out of the race and endorsed her. Their comments signaled support for Harris, 59, a former U.S. senator from California, in a battleground state that's viewed as essential for Democrats to win this fall. Biden won it by 3 percentage points in 2020, while former President Donald Trump, the Republican nominee, narrowly won it in 2016.
"President Biden made a difficult decision for the good of our nation. I'm grateful for his courage and legacy of American leadership," said U.S. Rep. Hillary Scholten, D-Grand Rapids, who had called on Biden to step aside.
"Let's unite as a country behind Vice President Kamala Harris and rise victorious over extremism this November."
Retiring U.S. Rep. Dan Kildee, D-Flint Township, called on Democrats to "immediately come together" around Harris.
Michigan Democratic Party Chair Lavora Barnes said she believes Harris should be the nominee.
“With a champion for Michiganders like Kamala Harris at the top of the ticket, I am confident that Michigan will once again deliver for Democrats up and down the ballot," Barnes said in a statement.
Michigan House Speaker Joe Tate, D-Detroit, also called on Democrats to support Harris in a post on social media.
More:President Joe Biden drops out of 2024 race after age concerns, endorses Harris
Detroit U.S. Rep. Rashida Tlaib, who has been sharply critical of Biden's handling of the Israel-Hamas war, did not endorse Harris in a statement. She backed an open nominating convention and said she was "eager" to speak to Harris about issues including a permanent ceasefire and "an end to the funding of genocide in Gaza."
Four of Michigan's six U.S. House Republicans criticized Biden's move and argued that if he is unfit to run for reelection, he also shouldn't finish out his term, which ends in mid-January next year.
Although Biden said Sunday he would finish out his term, U.S. Rep. John James, R-Shelby Township, called on Biden to resign the presidency "immediately."
"If Joe Biden is unfit to run for re-election, he is unfit to run our country. This is a major national security crisis," James tweeted.
Michigan GOP congressman Bill Huizenga, Tim Walberg and Jack Bergman also called on Biden to resign.
But the quick Democratic endorsements of Harris might signal a convention fight won't happen, one analyst said.
"This new nomination battle is going to be over before you know it," Oakland University political scientist Dave Dulio tweeted Sunday afternoon on X. "Two hours ago it was an open competition. Not now. Now the jockeying is for Harris’ VP slot."
'Orderly process' to replace Biden
Delegates to the Aug. 19-22 Democratic National Convention in Chicago will ultimately decide who is their party's replacement nominee for Biden.
Jaime Harrison, chairman of the Democratic National Committee, said Sunday that the party would "undertake a transparent and orderly process" to replace Biden at the top of the ticket.
"This process will be governed by established rules and procedures of the party," Harrison said in a statement. "Our delegates are prepared to take seriously their responsibility in swiftly delivering a candidate to the American people."
More:What happens next: Joe Biden wants to pass the baton to Kamala Harris. Here's how that might work
U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-Lansing, said in a Sunday interview she expected that the majority of Michigan delegates who were pledged to the Biden-Harris ticket will feel "very enthusiastic" about the vice president.
"But she knows she really has to step up and earn this nomination," Stabenow said, who served with Harris in the Senate.
At this point, Stabenow said she'd be surprised if any other candidates were to step forward to challenge Harris at the convention next month and be viewed as serious or credible.
"I'd be surprised if there's a strong fight at the convention," Stabenow said. "But they could. They have every right to do that."
Sen. Gary Peters, D-Bloomfield Township, also backed Harris in a late Sunday statement on X, saying he saw Harris "fight for the American people every single day when we served together in the Senate — and I know she’ll be a wonderful president."
Some Dems: 'Let's get to work'
Brandon Dillon, the Michigan Democratic Party's former chairman, said the country is in unprecedented times, and it's impossible to know exactly what will happen in the coming weeks. But Dillon also said he expects Democrats will coalesce around the vice president.
“It seems like the momentum is to go to Harris and use the operation that has already been put in place," Dillon said.
Biden himself endorsed Harris to be the new Democratic nominee, minutes after he announced he was leaving the presidential race.
"Democrats — it’s time to come together and beat Trump," Biden said on social media. "Let’s do this."
U.S. Rep. Haley Stevens, D-Birmingham, threw her support behind Harris, saying she has “tremendous” respect for her.
“I was not in the camp calling for (Biden) to step down and don’t believe he needed to suspend his campaign, but I respect that that was his decision,” Stevens said in a Sunday interview.
“I continue to support Joe Biden and his decision to release his delegates to Vice President Harris. I’m excited to elect her as the first woman president of the United States.”
Rep. Debbie Dingell, D-Ann Arbor, called Harris an "incredible leader who will unite our country and win in November."
"Now, let's get to work," she added.
Tate, the first Black speaker of the Michigan House, also called on fellow Democrats to unite behind Harris, the nation's first Black vice president.
"It is now our responsibility as Democrats and Americans to unite behind Vice President Harris and carry our candidate through to victory in November," Tate wrote. "This decision by President Biden is an example to us all and we cannot squander his sacrifice on division and posturing."
U.S. Rep. Shri Thanedar, D-Detroit, was among the Michigan congressional delegation's top supporters of Biden as the party’s nominee. He now said he’s supporting Harris.
“I think she deserves it. She was the No. 2 on the ticket, and it would be unfair if she hadn’t been given the opportunity,” Thanedar told The Detroit News. “I think we can win with Kamala Harris at the top of the ticket.”
He added that the Democrats have a “strong bench” to choose from for Harris’ running mate, whether it’s Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly or Govs. Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania or Gavin Newsom of California.
“Whitmer has done a great job in Michigan,” Thanedar said. “She certainly can deliver Michigan for the Democrats. If she wants to and is willing to do it, she’d be a great vice president or presidential candidate.”
The Michigan Democratic Party's Black Caucus quickly threw its support behind Harris, with Chairman Keith Williams saying "it is imperative that urban America has a President that understands the economic, educational, and societal struggles that plague our community."
Analyst: Avoid 'messy' convention
Concerns about Biden's age have nagged his reelection campaign. But the effort to pressure the Democratic incumbent not to seek another four-year term gained steam after he struggled in his first debate of the 2024 race with Trump on June 27.
"I want to cry right now," Dingell said after Biden's announcement. "He’s been a good president."
Biden's decision on Sunday came 107 days before the Nov. 5 election and 29 days before the Democratic National Convention is scheduled to begin. Adrian Hemond, a Democrat and CEO of the Michigan-based consulting firm Grassroots Midwest, said once former U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-California, started working to get Biden to withdraw, it was inevitable that it would happen.
The easiest and most sensible option for Democrats is to have Harris run in his place because she can use the money that's already been raised by the Biden campaign, Hemond said.
“The money is all in the Biden-Harris campaign account," Hemond said. "It’s the easiest, most obvious thing to slot her in there."
Democratic consultant Mario Morrow of Detroit called on his party to come “full force” behind Harris “without question and without doubt.” He warned against holding an open convention in August, calling it “too messy.”
“If you pass over Kamala Harris. you lose the Black vote, and you lose maybe a third of the women’s vote,” Morrow said.
Morrow said it’s unlikely that the Democrats would place another woman on the ticket as Harris’ running mate, saying what's needed is someone who can balance the ticket, complement her strengths and weaknesses, and bring together key wings of the party.
“They need to dig deep and vet this process out,” Morrow added. “I think they’ve got their short list at this point.”
Whitmer and California's Gov. Gavin Newsom have both been floated as potential future Democratic candidates for president.
Whitmer issued a statement on Sunday labeling Biden "a great public servant who knows better than anyone what it takes to defeat Donald Trump."
Whitmer's initial statement didn't reference Harris or who should be the Democratic nominee.
"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 wrote.
More:After Biden withdrawal, Whitmer says she will focus on electing Democrats, beating Trump
Tlaib, who never endorsed Biden for president, in her statement said she looks forward to engaging with Harris as she tries to "inspire" the Democratic base in her district, saying she hopes this year's convention "makes the candidates move with their base."
"We are in unprecedented times but the demands of our constituents and people across the country remain the same: They want a President and government that is focused on saving lives, giving people the ability to thrive, and valuing the humanity of one another over bombs," Tlaib said.
“I support a transparent democratic process at an open convention next month, and hope there is a fair vote on the resolution at the DNC that calls for an arms embargo to stop the Israeli government’s war crimes."
GOP blasts Biden and Harris
U.S. Rep. Lisa McClain, R-Bruce Township, on Sunday blasted Harris, saying she has the "same failed record" as Biden.
"While the name on the ballot may change, the incompetence and failures remain the same," McClain said on social media. "This failed record includes: rising crime, a southern border invasion, international turmoil, betrayal of our allies, increasing debt and spending, and record inflation."
Similarly, U.S. Rep. John Moolenaar, R-Caledonia, said while he is "thankful that President Biden finally realized he is unfit to serve another four years, the only way we can fix our country is to reverse his failures" and elect Trump.
On Saturday, during a campaign rally in Grand Rapids, Trump said he relished the internal Democratic controversy questioning Biden's fitness for office and speculated instead about facing Whitmer in November.
Trump, 78, at one point called Biden, 81, a "feeble old man" Saturday and jabbed Democrats for publicly second-guessing Biden's ability to remain the Democratic presidential nominee following the Delaware Democrat's poor debate performance against Trump on June 27.
"They have no idea who their candidate is and neither do we," Trump said at the Van Andel Arena during his almost two-hour speech.
More:Kamala Harris addresses abortion rights, Trump shooting in Michigan visit
Trump also polled the crowd about whom they’d like him to run against — Harris or Biden — before criticizing Whitmer, who is regularly mentioned in political circles as a potential replacement presidential candidate.
Harris campaigned in Kalamazoo on Wednesday, warning the crowd that a Trump-JD Vance ticket — and the prospect of a national abortion ban — would endanger the abortion rights Michigan residents enshrined in their state constitution in 2022. The Republican platform crafted by Trump delegates the power to set abortion policy to the states.
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Staff Writer Beth LeBlanc contributed.
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[1] Url:
https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/politics/2024/07/21/michigan-democrats-believe-kamala-harris-will-be-the-democratic-party-presidential-nominee-joe-biden/74490563007/
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