Mississippi’s top leaders are responding to President Joe Biden’s Sunday announcement that he is not running for reelection and instead is endorsing Kamala Harris for the 2024 presidential election. Since his performance in the first presidential debate on June 27, some prominent Democrats as well as national media outlets had urged Biden to leave the race with a split over whether he should endorse Harris to step in as the potential Democratic nominee or endorse an open primary battle for the top spot.
In a Sunday afternoon statement on July 21, Biden recapped his accomplishments as president, including lowering prescription drug prices for older people and appointing the first Black woman to the U.S. Supreme Court.
“And while it has been my intent to seek reelection, I believe it is in the best interest of my party and the country for me to stand down and focus solely on fulfilling my duties as president for the remainder of my term,” he said in a social-media post.
Below are the responses so far from Mississippi leaders. We will update the list as more reactions come in.
Gov. Tate Reeves, Republican
“Have you ever seen a politician so strong and talented he made his opponent quit in the middle of the race?
I have: Donald J. Trump” (Source: Twitter)
Context: Biden did not say he dropped out of the race because of Trump.
A strong Trump supporter, Reeves has routinely had opposing opinions to Biden and has criticized his support of Medicaid expansion and mask mandates during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Ray Mabus, Former Mississippi Governor, Democrat
“Joe Biden is an American hero & the most consequential president at least since LBJ. Kamala Harris will be a terrific POTUS. It’s up to us to make it so.” (Source: Twitter)
Context: Mabus served as Mississippi’s governor from 1988 to 1992, as U.S. Secretary of the Navy from 2009 to 2017 and as the U.S. ambassador to Saudi Arabia from 1994 to 1996.
State Auditor Shad White, Republican
“Democrats lied to you for years about one of the most important things: whether President Biden was mentally equipped to be president. If they force him off the ticket, they will be admitting they have lied. Don’t forget this when you hear them talk about anything else under the sun.” (Source: Twitter)
Context: White tweeted this statement on July 18, before Biden announced he was stepping down. The auditor quote-tweeted the post on July 21 with the caption, “Just going to leave this here.” It is unclear to date whether Biden was “mentally” unequipped or, if so, if Democratic leaders knew of such a condition.
District 2 U.S. House Rep. Bennie Thompson, Democrat
“I want to express my gratitude to President Biden for being a leader who prioritizes the needs of the American people over politics, the wealthy, other authorities, or even himself. His selflessness and humility are truly commendable, and I thank him for all that he has done for us. As a senior member of the United States House of Representatives, I would like to publicly endorse Vice President Kamala Harris to be the Democratic presidential nominee. Madam Vice President, I know you will carry us to the finish line.” (Source: statement)
Context: Thompson represents Mississippi’s second congressional district, which includes the capital city of Jackson. He leads a congressional committee that investigates the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol.
Ty Pinkins, Democratic U.S. Senate Candidate
“I have immense respect and gratitude for President Joe Biden’s leadership and dedication to our country. His decision to step aside is a testament to his selflessness and commitment to the greater good of our nation. Vice President Kamala Harris has consistently demonstrated her unwavering dedication to justice, equality, and the American people. Her vision for our future is one that I wholeheartedly believe in and support.” (Source: statement)
Context: Democratic nominee Pinkins is challenging U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker, a Republican, for his seat in the November election. It has consistently been difficult in recent decades for a Democrat of any race to draw or turn out enough votes to defeat a Republican senatorial candidate in Mississippi, which has the highest proportion of Black people in the nation at about 36%. In 2018, after U.S. Sen. Thad Cochran stepped down, former Agriculture Secretary Mike Espy, who is Black, drew 46% of the vote against winner Cindy Hyde-Smith for the seat—the closest Senate election in the state since 1988. As the Democratic nominee in 2020, the year Biden defeated incumbent Trump, Espy drew 41.1% of the vote.
District 3 U.S. House Rep. Michael Guest, Republican
“During his time in office, the Democrat Party has covered up Joe Biden’s inability to serve as President. We saw in the debate he is not able to handle the duties of office and by him dropping out of the race today, Biden admits he is not able to do the job.” (Source: Twitter)
Context: Guest represents Mississippi’s 3rd Congressional District. In 2021, Guest supported former President Donald Trump’s attempt to overturn the 2020 election results and remain in power after he lost to Biden. He cosigned a letter to the U.S. Department of Justice in 2023 that asked about Biden allegedly mishandling classified documents when he was vice president.
Mississippi Democratic Party Chair and Mississippi State Rep. Cheikh Taylor
“President Biden holds a special place in our hearts. We owe him an immense debt of gratitude for his extraordinary leadership and selfless sacrifice for our nation. His steadfast guidance brought our country back from the brink after the pandemic and the worst economic crisis in 80 years. Mississippi Democrats will always be proud of the work done by the Biden-Harris administration. President Biden’s decision today exemplifies his dedication and love for our country.” (Source: Statement)
Context: The Mississippi Democratic Party released its statement following Biden’s announcement on July 21 and endorsed Kamala Harris in a separate statement the evening of July 22.
Mississippi State Sen. Jeremy England, Republican
“What happened today with Biden stepping down is huge, because it changes the game. Not just for this election, either. For the first time in a century, a major party is bucking the primary process because polls told them their candidate could not win.” (Source: Twitter)
Context: England is a Republican from Vancleave, Miss., who represents Mississippi State Senate District 51. In response to England’s claim about “bucking the primary process,” former Gov. Ray Mabus told the Mississippi Free Press on July 22 that “those same people who voted for Joe Biden in the (2024) primaries also voted for Kamala Harris. They were voting for a ticket. So I think (England’s tweet is) just part of the garbled and desperate messaging after what happened, and it shows just how scared they are.”
Mississippi State Sen. David Blount, Democrat
“History will remember Joe Biden as a successful President who always put his country first. President Biden restored decency and statesmanship to our country. He stood up to Russia and those who sought to overthrow an election with violence. All Mississippians who will enjoy better highways, improved water/sewer systems, and high speed internet should thank President Biden for what he did for our state. Our party will leave the convention united and ready to win in November.” (Source: Twitter)
Context: Blount is a Democrat from Jackson, Miss., who serves District 29, Hinds County.
Mississippi State Rep. Daryl Porter, Jr., Democrat
“Mr. President, Thank you! @POTUS.” (Source: Twitter)
Context: Porter is the Democratic representative from Summit, Miss., who serves District 98.
Brandon Presley, Former Mississippi Democratic Governor Candidate
“While some will jeer and make snide remarks, @JoeBiden proved today what real character and strength looks like amid the noise of silliness and selfishness that has come to characterize some in the political arena. Thank you, @POTUS, for your decades of service to our nation.” (Source: Twitter)
Context: Presley ran as Gov. Tate Reeves’ Democratic challenger in the 2023 governor’s election and drew 47.7% of the statewide vote to Reeves’ 50.9%.
