Former president Barack Obama has stopped short of endorsing Kamala Harris to replace Joe Biden as the Democratic Party’s presidential candidate.
Instead of backing the vice president, he said in a statement: “I have extraordinary confidence that the leaders of our party will be able to create a process from which an outstanding nominee emerges.”
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After he stepped aside, Joe Biden backed Ms Harris to replace him, saying: “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.”
In response, Ms Harris said: “I am honored to have the President’s endorsement and my intention is to earn and win this nomination.”
Soon after, former president Bill Clinton and former secretary of state Hillary Clinton joined Mr Biden in throwing their support behind her.
The pair thanked Mr Biden for his “extraordinary” career of service in a post on X, before saying they were “honoured” to endorse Ms Harris.
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They said this was the best way to stop Donald Trump from re-entering the White House for a second term as president.
“We’ve lived through many ups and downs, but nothing has made us more worried for our country than the threat posed by a second Trump term,” their statement read.
“He has promised to be a dictator on day one, and the recent ruling by his servile Supreme Court will only embolden him to further shred the Constitution.
“Now is the time to support Kamala Harris and fight with everything we’ve got to elect.”
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Long-term friend of Ms Harris, senator Chris Coons, is also backing the vice president.
He told CNN: “I support vice president Harris. I am very hopeful that we will come out of our convention next month united and that everyone who has expressed concerns and hopes and thoughts and fears in the last month will continue to support the ticket that will win this fall.”
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Pramila Jayapal, congresswoman for Washington’s 7th district, was the first Democrat aside from the president to publicly back the current vice president to run against Mr Trump in November’s election.
The Congressional Black Caucus, a group of black Democrats has endorsed Ms Harris, said they join Biden in “fully supporting” Harris to be the Democratic presidential nominee.
Governor Jared Polis posted three emojis on X that could be a sign he is backing Ms Harris: a coconut, a palm tree and an American flag.
The emojis are a reference to a phrase Ms Harris has repeated often: “You think you just fell out of a coconut tree? You exist in the context of all in which you live and what came before you.”
Other Democrats, including James Clyburn, a respected former leader in the party, Jasmine Crockett, Jamie Raskin, Eric Swalwell, Debbie Dingell and Mazie Hirono have also already backed Ms Harris.
