Political leaders in Rhode Island and Massachusetts offered swift reaction to Sunday’s bombshell announcement by President Biden that he would drop out of his race for a second term as president.
“President Biden made a selfless and noble decision” Rhode Island Gov. Dan McKee said in a prepared statement. “We are forever grateful for his lifetime of service, compassionate leadership and all he has done for our country. His presidency will be remembered as one of the most impactful in our nation’s history.”
Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey thanked Biden “for his lifetime of service.” She called his decision to leave the ticket “the ultimate example of putting the country first — something Joe Biden has done over and over again in his unparalleled career.”
An hour after Biden said he was endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris to pick up his mantle as the democratic nominee, Rep. Gabe Amo (D-RI) said in an interview that he, too, was “enthusiastically” endorsing Harris.
“She has been a partner working hand in glove with President Biden over the past three-and-a-half years to invest in the American people,” Amo said, “to invest in our nation’s infrastructure, to promote advanced democracy abroad and fight for the soul of our nation.”
In his statement, Rep. Seth Magaziner (D-RI) urged unity.
“As we move forward, Democrats must quickly unite our party and the country behind a new nominee with a vision for the future,” Magaziner said. He later sent a statement endorsing Harris.
As Democrats around the country scramble to determine not only who the party’s standard-bearer will be, but if that person has enough time and funding to defeat a former president with a clear lead in the polls, Amo said “I most certainly think we have more than enough time.”
Amo added, “This stuff moves quickly. I think time is really a function of the prioritization that we will make as a country to pick a leader who is going to lead us forward and not back.”
Chair of the Rhode Island Republican Party Joe Powers also weighed in, in the early hours after the announcement. Powers said “it doesn’t matter who the Democrats offer in his place.”
“We have the solid, proven leadership of President Trump,” Powers said in a statement, “who has consistently delivered on his promises to Make America Wealthy, Strong, Safe, and Great Again.”
Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) lauded Biden’s career.
“I will always be grateful for President Biden’s leadership on climate and his courage to do the right thing for our country in all circumstances,” Whitehouse said in a statement. “History will remember Joe Biden as a giant of the Senate, of the vice presidency, and of the presidency. Let no one underestimate how hard this was. I salute the man.”
Whitehouse also endorsed Harris in a statement on X.
In an interview with The Public’s Radio afternoon host Dave Fallon Monday afternoon, Rhode Island House Speaker Joe Shekarchi said President Biden has “done a phenomenal job in a very difficult time,” and praised him for the decision to remove himself from the race.
The speaker also pledged his support for the vice president. “I think she has the credentials. I think she has the stamina. I think she has the intellect. I think she’ll do an outstanding job for our party,” Shekarchi said.
Both of Massachusetts’ U.S. senators also praised Biden’s presidency in statements they released within an hour of Biden’s announcement.
“Joe Biden’s presidency has been transformational,” Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D) wrote.” He accomplished more in the past four years — to bring back jobs, stand up to big corporations, and build an economy that works for all of us — than we have been able to get done in the last forty.”
Sen. Ed Markey (D) credited Biden with helping “save democracy and the planet,” and said Biden “has a record unmatched in modern U.S. history.”
Warren also later announced she was endorsing Harris.
This story has been updated with additional statements from U.S. Sens. Warren, Markey, and Whitehouse, Gov. Healey of Massachusetts, and Rhode Island House Speaker Joe Shekarchi.
