Harris’ Presidential Endorsement Draws Big Reactions in Pennsylvania
The only news that could eclipse President Biden dropping out of the already contentious and unpredictable 2024 Presidential race was who he chose to endorse in his stead.
The only news that could eclipse President Biden dropping out of the already contentious and unpredictable 2024 Presidential race was who he chose to endorse in his stead.
Almost immediately after announcing that he was not seeking re-election, President Biden endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris, saying "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.”
Within mere days, support for Vice President Harris’ bid exploded with hundreds of endorsements from organizations to institutions to fellow politicians Harris pouring in, including some from local leaders here in the Keystone State and the City of Brotherly Love.
Here are just a few of Pennsylvania leaders’ reactions.
From his personal page on X, Governor Josh Shapiro shared a statement, saying “Kamala Harris is a patriot worthy of our support and she will continue the work of generations of Americans who came before us to perfect our union, protect our democracy, and advance real freedom. She has served the country honorably as Vice President and she is ready to be President.”
U.S. Senator Bob Casey shared a statement on his personal X account, saying that Vice President Harris “…is prepared to be Commander-in-Chief and is the best person to meet this moment. I'm proud to endorse her candidacy for President.
Meanwhile, U.S. Senator John Fetterman posted the new Harris for President banner with the simple caption “Proud to support and be all in for the next president, @KamalaHarris.”
Pennsylvania House Speaker Joanna McClinton took a more intimate approach. She shared a personal story to her Instagram with the caption “July 2005, I met the San Francisco District Attorney @kamalaharris as a summer intern at the Philly District Attorney’s Office.
I was in amazement and shock to see a woman who looked like me leading the fight for fairness as a progressive prosecutor! Fast forward almost 20 years later and I am THRILLED TO JOIN PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN IN ENDORSING VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS FOR PRESIDENT!”
Pennsylvania State Representative and Majority Appropriations Chair Jordan Harris shared the following on his Instagram:
“Vice President Kamala Harris is a warrior for reproductive freedom, an advocate for equality, and has the needed experience to take the reins of our country during this critical time. As a lifelong Democrat, a political leader in my state, and a proud Black Man, I wholeheartedly support her for President.”
Senator Vincent Hughes shared a photo standing with Vice President Harris and wife, actress Sheryl Lee Ralph on his personal X page with the caption “Standing with two forces of nature @thesherylralph a proud member of @dstinc1913 and if we do our work, the next President of the United States, @KamalaHarris a proud member of @akasorority1908 Let’s get this done!”
Maurice Mitchell, the National Director of the Working Families Party, issued a powerful reminder of the stakes of the job of President in the following statement on The Working Families Party site:
“The next Democratic President has the opportunity to build on these achievements, while turning the page on the United States’s disastrous support for the Israeli government’s ongoing human rights abuses in Gaza.”
Closer to home, various leaders shared their excitement for Vice President Harris’ nomination.
Philadelphia’s Mayor, Cherelle Parker, shared from her personal X page this statement:
“Kamala Harris is incredibly qualified. As Vice President, she led through a time of recovery and incredible growth. She understands that cities like Philadelphia are the backbone of our Country. For our City, that means over $638 Million in federal investments just this year. Before that, she was a prosecutor who took on corruption at every level and never backed away from a fight.
She is one of us: an HBCU grad, a member of the Divine 9, committed to her family and still a Boss. And, someone who knows Philadelphia.
She is prepared to meet this moment and more than ready to lead on Day One!”
City Councilwoman Cindy Bass issued the following statement on her X page, saying “Coming up on 100 days until Election Day, we must band together as a community now more than ever. Our best chance at preserving democracy is by supporting Vice President Kamala Harris as the Democratic Party nominee for the presidency.”
With just mere months before Election Day, in what has already been an unprecedented election cycle, Vice President Harris accumulated much of Pennsylvania’s Democratic leadership support. Will it be enough for her to secure her party’s candidacy? Attention now goes to the Democratic National Convention in August.
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Whitney Roberts
Whitney Roberts is a Philadelphia writer, podcaster, and content creator featured by the NAACP, Wired, NBC, and more. She contributes to outlets like TheRoot and NPR, amplifying diverse voices and stories.
