After weeks of calls to step down following his presidential debate performance in June, President Joe Biden has decided not to run for re-election in 2024.

In this not-so-unexpected turn of events, the American people are in for an interesting and unprecedented August as the Democrats decide who will be their nominee to face off against former President Donald Trump.

On Sunday afternoon, in his letter to the American people informing them of his decision to step down, the President began by addressing the accomplishments of his administration.

He wrote, “Today, America has the strongest economy in the world. We’ve made historic investments in rebuilding our Nation, in lowering prescription drug costs for seniors, and in expanding affordable health care to a record number of Americans. We’ve provided critically needed care to a million veterans exposed to toxic substances, passed the first gun safety law in 30 years, appointed the first African American woman to the Supreme Court, and passed the most significant climate legislation in the history of the world. America has never been better positioned to lead than we are today.”

He continued, “It has been the greatest honor of my life to serve as your President. And while it has been my intention to seek re-election, I believe it is in the best interest of my party and the country for me to step down and to focus solely on fulfilling my duties as President for the remainder of my term.”

In a statement later, Biden endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris to be the Democratic presidential nominee. He wrote, “My fellow Democrats, I have decided not to accept the nomination and to focus all my energies on my duties as President for the remainder of my term. My very first decision as the party nominee in 2020 was to pick Kamala Harris as my Vice President. And it’s been the best decision I’ve made. Today I want to offer my full support and endorsement for Kamala to be the nominee of our party this year. Democrats — it’s time to come together and beat Trump. Let’s do this.”

However, even though President Biden endorsed Harris, it does not mean she will be the Democratic nominee.

So, what happens now?

Now that President Biden has decided not to run for re-election, the delegates who were bound to their electoral outcome with Biden as the winner are now released, allowing them to vote for and nominate whomever they choose at the convention.

This means that all 3,896 delegates President Biden received from winning each state primary will no longer have allegiance to him, making room for an open convention.

The same rules still apply at the Democratic National Convention.

There are an estimated 4,672 delegates up for grabs in 2024. Of these, 3,933 are pledged delegates and 739 are superdelegates. 

Whichever candidate reaches the 1,968 pledged delegate threshold, clinches the nomination. 

The DNC rules also state that the Vice President is nominated first, adding an interesting twist to an already unprecedented convention. 

Pundits immediately began to speculate as to who the next nominee might be. After his statement, Bill and Hillary Clinton released a statement endorsing Harris to be the next president, as did California Governor Gavin Newsom.

Former President Barack Obama also released a statement; however, he did not endorse Kamala Harris to be the nominee. He emphasized his confidence in the leaders of the party to “create a process from which an outstanding nominee emerges.”

The “Biden-Harris” Campaign has officially become the “Harris Campaign,” with all funds being diverted to Harris, making her the most equipped candidate with a formidable campaign apparatus to run for president in just over two months.

Republican Reactions 

Former President Trump immediately responded to Biden’s decision to step down. In a post on TruthSocial, he wrote, “Crooked Joe Biden was not fit to run for President, and is certainly not fit to serve – And never was!… We will suffer greatly because of his presidency, but we will remedy the damage he has done very quickly. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!”

He then turned the attack to his possible next opponent, writing “Kamala Harris is just as much of a joke as Biden is…. Harris has been the Enabler-in-Chief for Crooked Joe this entire time. They own each other’s records, and there is no distance between the two. Harris must defend the failed Biden Administration AND her liberal, weak-on-crime record in CA…And during this entire term, Kamala Harris – as well as every other Democrat in Washington, sat by and did NOTHING. They are all just as complicit as Biden is in the destruction of our once-great Nation, and they must all be thrown out of office.”

In the wake of the announcement, some Republican lawmakers have come out criticizing Biden for stepping down after the primary process, calling his move “undemocratic.”

Speaker of the House Mike Johnson issued a statement writing, “At this unprecedented juncture in American history, we must be clear about what just happened. The Democrat Party forced the Democrat nominee off the ballot, just over 100 days before the election.”

He also called for Biden to immediately resign, saying, “If Joe Biden is not fit to run for President, he is not fit to serve as President. He must resign the office immediately. November 5 cannot arrive soon enough.”

Between the attempted assassination attempt on former President Trump and President Biden deciding not to run for re-election, it looks like October surprises came early this year. The American people are in for an interesting end of their summer, as the 2024 political landscape drastically changes before their very eyes.

President Trump will now have to focus his efforts on a new opponent, and Kamala Harris will have to shore up support among her fellow Democrats to lead the fight against him. The Democratic National Convention starts August 19, leaving just about three weeks for potential nominees to start wooing delegates in their favor.

It is going to be an exciting August. Stay here for constant updates without the spin. Stay engaged, stay critical, stay informed.

Questions to ask yourself after reading:

Do I agree with President Biden’s decision to not seek re-election?

Should Kamala Harris be the Democratic nominee? If not, who?

Should there be a debate between now and the Democratic National Convention for possible candidates?

Who matches up best with former President Trump?