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Top Indiana Democratic candidates praise Biden for withdrawing from presidential race

The front exterior of the White House.
FILE PHOTO: Justin Hicks
/
IPB News
President Joe Biden is the first presidential incumbent to drop out of their reelection race to be their party's nominee since Lyndon Johnson in 1968. The only other president to do it after launching their reelection campaign is Harry Truman in 1952.

Top Indiana Democratic candidates praised President Joe Biden’s decision to drop out of the presidential race Sunday.

Gubernatorial candidate Jennifer McCormick said she respects and appreciates Biden’s “legacy” of service, calling his decision to drop out another act in that legacy. McCormick said, as governor, she would be committed to working with whoever is president.

Senate candidate Valerie McCray and Attorney General candidate Destiny Wells similarly praised Biden while also throwing their support behind Vice President Kamala Harris to succeed him as the Democrats’ presidential nominee.

McCray said Harris would “unlock a new energy” for the race, while Wells said rallying support for Harris continues Biden’s work.

READ MORE: President Biden drops out, endorses VP Harris as nominee

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Republican gubernatorial candidate Mike Braun and Senate candidate Jim Banks both said that Biden should immediately resign as president if he can’t continue as the nominee. Attorney General Todd Rokita similarly questioned how Biden can serve as president while withdrawing from the race.

Brandon is our Statehouse bureau chief. Contact him at bsmith@ipbs.org or follow him on Twitter at @brandonjsmith5.

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Brandon Smith has covered the Statehouse for Indiana Public Broadcasting for more than a decade, spanning three governors and a dozen legislative sessions. He's also the host of Indiana Week in Review, a weekly political and policy discussion program seen and heard across the state. He previously worked at KBIA in Columbia, Missouri and WSPY in Plano, Illinois. His first job in radio was in another state capitol - Jefferson City, Missouri - as a reporter for three stations around the Show-Me State.