Kamala Harris Speaks Out After Joe Biden Endorses Her for 2024 Presidential Nomination: 'Together, We Will Win'

Vice President Kamala Harris said she is "honored" after President Joe Biden endorsed her as the Democratic presidential nominee.

Following growing pressure to drop out of the 2024 presidential race, Biden, 81, officially announced his decision to exit in a statement on X (formerly Twitter) on Sunday, July 21 — at which point he endorsed his current vice president to replace him on the Democratic ticket.

Harris responded to the endorsement on Sunday, in a statement shared by the Biden campaign, writing that Biden's decision is "selfless and patriotic."

“On behalf of the American people, I thank Joe Biden for his extraordinary leadership as President of the United States and for his decades of service to our country," her statement began. "His remarkable legacy of accomplishment is unmatched in modern American history, surpassing the legacy of many Presidents who have served two terms in office."

“It is a profound honor to serve as his Vice President, and I am deeply grateful to the President, Dr. Biden, and the entire Biden family. I first came to know President Biden through his son Beau. We were friends from our days working together as Attorneys General of our home states," Harris, 59, continued. "As we worked together, Beau would tell me stories about his Dad. The kind of father—and the kind of man—he was. And the qualities Beau revered in his father are the same qualities, the same values, I have seen every single day in Joe’s leadership as President: His honesty and integrity. His big heart and commitment to his faith and his family. And his love of our country and the American people."

Harris then shared her thoughts on Biden's decision to not run for reelection. “With this selfless and patriotic act, President Biden is doing what he has done throughout his life of service: putting the American people and our country above everything else," she wrote.

“I am honored to have the President’s endorsement and my intention is to earn and win this nomination," she continued. "Over the past year, I have traveled across the country, talking with Americans about the clear choice in this momentous election. And that is what I will continue to do in the days and weeks ahead. I will do everything in my power to unite the Democratic Party — and unite our nation — to defeat Donald Trump and his extreme Project 2025 agenda."

Harris concluded her statement with a rallying message: “We have 107 days until Election Day. Together, we will fight. And together, we will win.”

Harris, who is the first woman, the first Black person and the first person of Indian descent to hold the office of vice president, ran her own presidential campaign during the 2020 election cycle, before joining Biden as his running mate once he secured the nomination.

In his announcement that he was dropping out of the race, Biden wrote that "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."

The president then announced he will "speak to the Nation later this week in more detail about my decision," noting, "For now, let me express my deepest gratitude to all those who have worked so hard to see me reelected."

"I want to thank Vice President Kamala Harris for being an extraordinary partner in all this work. And let me express my heartfelt appreciation to the American people for the faith and trust you have placed in me," he concluded. "I believe today what I always have: that there is nothing America can't do - when we do it together. We just have to remember we are the United States of America."

In a later post on Sunday, Biden endorsed his vice president, writing that selecting her for the office was "the best decision I've made."

"Today I want to offer my full support and endorsement for Kamala to be the nominee for our party this year," he continued. "Democrats — it's time to come together and beat Trump. Let's do this."

After a poor debate performance against Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump on June 27 and rising concerns over his ability to defeat Trump come November’s election, Biden rescinded his previous statement that he would remain in the race.

“Look, I mean, if the Lord Almighty came down and said, ‘Joe, get outta the race,’ I’d get outta the race,” he said to George Stephanopoulos during a primetime interview on ABC on July 5, adding, “The Lord Almighty’s not comin’ down.”

During a press conference before the debate on June 11, Biden was asked directly whether he would step aside if polling showed Harris as a more viable candidate in defeating Trump.

“No, unless they come back and say, ‘There’s no way you can win,’ ” he replied, adding, “no poll’s saying that.”

The White House also recently announced that Biden tested positive for COVID-19 after an event in Las Vegas on July 17. White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said the president was experiencing “mild symptoms,” and that he returned to Delaware to self-isolate.

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