As rank-and-file Dems rally around Harris, some top leaders hold back endorsements
Many other Democrats across the ideological spectrum promptly backed the vice president to replace Biden at the top of the ticket

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Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D-NY) (R) talks with House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) while Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) holds the gavel she used in the House of Representatives 14 years earlier when the Affordable Care Act was passed during a news conference on March 21, 2024 in Washington, DC.
Vice President Kamala Harris quickly won support from many Democratic lawmakers after President Joe Biden dropped his re-election bid, but several top party leaders withheld their endorsement for the time being.
The list of high-ranking Democrats who have not yet endorsed Harris include: former President Barack Obama, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA).
Obama said: “I have extraordinary confidence that the leaders of our party will be able to create a process from which an outstanding nominee emerges,” without mentioning Harris.
Schumer praised Biden and said “his decision of course was not easy, but he once again put his country, his party, and our future first,” but didn’t mention who might replace Biden.
Other key Democratic Hill leaders followed the same model, including House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY), Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-OH), House Democratic Whip Katherine Clark (D-MA) and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT), the progressive leader who was among Biden’s most ardent defenders in the final days of his campaign.
One reason that top Democrats aren’t yet coalescing behind Harris, one Democratic operative said, is they don’t want to make Harris’ ascendance look like a party-led coronation. Pelosi reportedly expressed reservations about “party elites quickly crowning the vice president as the next nominee” even as she held positive views of Harris, according to a Politico report.
Some officials floated as alternative presidential or vice presidential picks, including Govs. Andy Beshear, J.B. Pritzker and Tim Walz, also remained mum on Harris. Maryland Gov. Wes Moore will reportedly endorse Harris on Monday and Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer reportedly joined a Harris staff call on Sunday evening.
Sen. Joe Manchin (I-WV), a centrist who recently left the Democratic Party and served as a frequent thorn in the administration’s side, is reportedly actively exploring his own presidential bid.
And Rep. Lloyd Doggett (D-TX), the first lawmaker to call for Biden to leave the race, said that the party should “be open to all talented individuals who wish to be considered.”
Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI), one of the most vocal critics of Israel in the House, said she wants to see an open process at the convention and said she wants to talk to Harris about ending funding for Israel and a permanent cease-fire in Gaza.
But Harris has largely solidified her support among the party’s rank-and-file, and several other potential presidential or vice presidential aspirants offered their support, after not mentioning her in their initial statements.
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, who is being viewed as a contender for vice president, said that the “best path forward for the Democratic Party is to quickly unite behind Vice President Harris and refocus on winning the presidency.” North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper said that Harris “should be the next president” and highlighted their long-time relationship. And Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said he would “do all that I can to help [Harris] win.”
Sen. Mark Kelly (D-AZ), another potential vice presidential pick, offered an early, wholehearted endorsement of Harris, saying, “I couldn’t be more confident that Vice President [Harris] is the right person to defeat Donald Trump and lead our country into the future.”
California Gov. Gavin Newsom said that “no one is better to prosecute the case against Donald Trump’s dark vision and guide our country in a healthier direction” than Harris.
Former President Bill Clinton and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said they would “do whatever we can to support” Harris and called on Democrats to “fight with everything we’ve got to elect her.”
On the Hill, Harris’ backers represent the full ideological spectrum of the Democratic Party, and its blocs of influence.
Rep. Jim Clyburn (D-SC), a key Biden backer, praised Biden’s selection of Harris and said he is “proud to follow his lead in support of her candidacy to succeed him.”
The Congressional Black Caucus, which resisted calls for Biden to drop out, said in a statement that it “joins President Biden in fully supporting Kamala Harris as our party’s nominee.” Congressional Hispanic Caucus Chair Nanette Barragan (D-CA) also backed Harris.
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), a progressive leader and one of Biden’s most vocal defenders in the final days of his campaign, offered Harris her full support and said “it is crucial that our party and country swiftly unite to defeat Donald Trump and the threat to American democracy.”
Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ), who leads the Problem Solvers Caucus and is a prominent supporter of Israel, called Harris a “fighter” and said “it’s time for us to unite against Donald Trump,” while Rep. Brad Schneider (D-IL), another top pro-Israel Democrat, who called for Biden to exit the race and is also a leading member of the New Dems, said he’s “confident that, with Vice President Kamala Harris at the helm of the Democratic ticket,” Democrats will defeat Trump.
Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-NY), the senior-most Jewish Democrat in Congress, said he has “complete faith” in Harris.
Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-NY), a vocally pro-Israel Democrat, said that the party “should clearly coalesce” around Harris as the nominee “so that we can finally shift the focus where it belongs — on the critical mission of defeating Donald Trump.”
On the other side of the aisle, Biden’s announcement sparked immediate calls from Republicans for him to step down or be removed from the presidency, arguing that he’s not fit to serve out the remainder of his term if he’s unable to run for re-election. And they sought to implicate other Democrats in an alleged cover-up of Biden’s fitness.
Trump posted on his Truth Social network that Biden “was not fit to run for President and is certainly not fit to serve – And never was!”
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) said, “If Joe Biden is not fit to run for president, he is not fit to serve as president. He must resign the office immediately.”
Johnson also accused the Democratic Party of having “invalidated the votes of more than 14 million Americans who selected Joe Biden to be the Democrat nominee for president,” and declared that Democrats’ “prospects are no better now with Vice President Kamala Harris, who co-owns the disastrous policy failures of the Biden administration.”
Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY), the House Republican Conference Chair, offered a similar response, adding, “The Democrat Party is in absolute free fall for their blatantly corrupt and desperate attempt to cover up the fact that Joe Biden is unfit for office.”
One notable exception was Rep. Mike Lawler (R-NY), who offered a largely positive statement.
“Though President Biden and I have not seen eye-to-eye on a number of issues, I recognize his deep commitment to our country, and thank him for his years of service to the nation,” Lawler said.
Sens. Lisa Murkowski (R-AL) and Mitt Romney (R-UT) also praised Biden’s decision to step aside.
And a few Democrats expressed bitterness about the pressure from colleagues that helped push Biden out of the race.
“People pushed out an honorable man, loving father and a great president before an absolute sleazeball like [Sen. Bob] Menendez,” Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) said. “Congratulations.”
Rep. Grace Meng (D-NY), after issuing a statement earlier in the day praising Biden and Harris, said that she’s “upset,” “mad the bullies won” and “mad that the most accomplished & empathetic [Biden] was treated the way he was-even by some in his own party.”
“But like my kid told me, stop being sad & start helping [Harris],” she continued.
Jewish Insider’s Capitol Hill Correspondent Emily Jacobs contributed to this report.