Incumbent U.S. President Joe Biden has secured enough national convention delegates to clinch the 2024 Democratic presidential nomination, observers noted today. Biden’s renomination is now effectively assured, though it has not been in doubt given that he had no credible opposition from other Democrats.
The Biden-Harris campaign and the Democratic Party both celebrated the news.
“Four years ago, I ran for president because I believed we were in a battle for the soul of this nation,” said President Joe Biden. “Because of the American people, we won that battle, and now I am honored that the broad coalition of voters representing the rich diversity of the Democratic Party across the country have put their faith in me once again to lead our party – and our country – in a moment when the threat Trump poses is greater than ever.”
“Since delivering the State of the Union address, I have been traveling the country hearing directly from voters about what’s on their minds. The American people are working tirelessly every single day toward a brighter future. Despite the challenges we faced when I took office, we’re in the middle of a comeback: wages are rising faster than inflation, jobs are coming back, consumer confidence has soared.”
“Amid this progress, we face a sobering reality: Freedom and democracy are at risk here at home in a way they have not been since the Civil War.”
“Donald Trump is running a campaign of resentment, revenge, and retribution that threatens the very idea of America. He is glorifying dictators and pledging to become one himself on day one. He seeks to bury the truth of January 6 by vowing to pardon the insurrectionists who placed a dagger at the throat of American democracy. This week, he vowed to cut seniors’ hard-earned Medicare and Social Security. He’s rooting for the economy to crash, pushing tax cuts for the ultra-wealthy, and planning to ban abortion nationwide.
“Voters now have a choice to make about the future of this country. Are we going to stand up and defend our democracy or let others tear it down? Will we restore the right to choose and protect our freedoms or let extremists take them away?”
“Will we finally make the wealthy pay their fair share in taxes – or will we allow corporate greed to run rampant on the backs of the middle class? I believe that the American people will choose to keep us moving into the future. With every crisis, America has always emerged stronger and more united on the other side. This November will be no different – and I believe we will do it together.”
“From the start, the President and I never took this re-nomination process for granted,” said Vice President Kamala Harris in a statement. “We have campaigned in earnest because we know doing so is an important step towards earning reelection and will help us mobilize the voters we need in November.”
“Now, the general election truly begins, and the contrast could not be clearer. Donald Trump is a threat to our democracy and our fundamental freedoms. He is proud of his role in overturning Roe, and has talked openly about plans for a nationwide abortion ban. He routinely praises authoritarian leaders and has himself vowed to be a dictator on Day One.”
“Just this week, he said that cuts to Social Security and Medicare would be on the table if he receives a second term. Each of these stances ought to be considered disqualifying by itself; taken together, they reveal the former President to be an existential danger to our country.”
“With his State of the Union speech last week, President Biden passionately presented our alternative vision. We will reduce costs for families, make housing more affordable, and raise the minimum wage. We will restore Roe, protect voting rights, and finally address our gun violence epidemic. The American people overwhelmingly support this agenda over Donald Trump’s extreme ideas, and that will propel our campaign in the months ahead.”
“This year, as we brought voices of voters of color to the forefront and embarked on the most inclusive Democratic primary in history, Democrats across the country – from South Carolina to Nevada, from Michigan to Georgia – have overwhelmingly chosen President Joe Biden to be our party’s presumptive nominee.
“Four years ago, President Biden ran on the values that bring us together as Americans: honesty, decency, and fairness,” said DNC Chair Jaime Harrison.
“While President Biden and Democrats have made historic progress in this first term by helping create 15 million jobs, taking on Big Pharma and lowering prescription drug costs, and rebuilding our nation’s infrastructure, there is more work to be done. Make no mistake: this year’s election will decide the future of our democracy. Donald Trump is running a campaign focused on revenge, retribution, and his own self-interest. President Biden is running a campaign focused on what makes our country so great: the American people.”
“President Biden understands that our freedoms, our democracy, and the very future of our country are at stake – and once again, he will meet this moment and bring Democrats together this November.”
“As we move forward in this primary season and set our sights towards the Democratic National Convention this summer, we are enormously proud of the work we have done to lift up the voices of voters who have been too often left behind, and look forward to our convention in Chicago where we will officially nominate Joe Biden and Kamala Harris as our nominees for President and Vice President of the United States. Let’s finish the job.”
“America spoke, and today, Joe Biden has become the presumptive Democratic nominee for President of the United States. We have arrived at this moment because millions of Americans made their voices heard, choosing Joe Biden’s vision of freedom and progress for all Americans.
“As voters across the country continue to put their faith in the Biden-Harris ticket throughout the primary, we are now looking ahead to the next step in our democratic process and preparing a convention in Chicago where President Biden, Vice President Harris, and Democrats will have the opportunity to tell our story directly to the American people,” explained convention chair Minyon Moore.
“We will tell a story of the historic Biden-Harris record: creating good-paying jobs, lowering costs, passing bipartisan bills, and delivering for the middle class. We will tell a story about the stakes of this next election and how Democrats plan to keep making America a place of progress and possibilities. As we face another battle for the soul of our nation, we encourage every American to tune in to the Democratic National Convention this summer to celebrate the Biden-Harris ticket and rally around Democrats’ vision of a free and fair America.”
Many states still have nominating events to hold in the meantime, including Oregon and Idaho, which will allocate their delegates this spring. Washington’s presidential primary concludes tonight after a three-week voting period.
