By Steve Prestegard
editor@
theplattevillejournal.com
PLATTEVILLE — Last week, the political world was shocked by the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump in Butler, Pa., in which one man was killed and two people were injured.
Eight days later, President Joe Biden announced via a post on X (formerly Twitter) that he was pulling out of the presidential race. A second post announced Biden was endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris.
Monday night, several national media sources announced that Harris had secured enough commitments from delegates to next month’s Democratic National Convention in Chicago to clinch the Democratic nomination.
That included all six delegates from the Third Congressional District to the Democratic convention, who are from Portage, Eau Claire and La Crosse counties. All six were pledged to Biden, and after Biden stepped down and the delegates were released, all six pledged to Harris, according to a news release.
That also included several Democratic candidates this fall.
“I’m proud to endorse Vice President Kamala Harris for president,” said U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisconsin) in a news release from the Harris for President campaign, adding that Sunday was “a new beginning for our party and our country — and I’m excited to keep working together to lower costs for Wisconsin families, grow our Made in America economy, and restore our fundamental rights and freedoms.”
“I look forward to supporting Vice President Kamala Harris as the Dem nominee for President,” said U.S. Rep. Mark Pocan (D-Black Earth).
“I extend my deepest gratitude to President Biden for his extraordinary service to our country,” said state Rep. Katrina Shankland (D-Stevens Point), who is running for the Third Congressional District Democratic nomination. “His leadership has steered us through unprecedented challenges, and his commitment to the American people has been unwavering — rebuilding our infrastructure, fighting for good, union jobs, and standing up for the middle class.
“The president’s decision to step aside is a deeply patriotic act. Now, we must all come together to defeat the radical MAGA agenda this November. Our democracy and freedoms are on the line, and the choice couldn’t be clearer.”
“I am grateful for the decades of service President Biden devoted to our country,” said Rebecca Cooke, who is also running for the Third Congressional District Democratic nomination. “I’m more focused than ever on flipping this seat, winning back the House majority, re-electing Sen. Baldwin and keeping responsible leadership in the White House. It all runs through Wisconsin’s Third District. Today, we usher in our next generation of leaders.”
“I appreciate President Biden’s many years of public service and his willingness to put the needs and interests of the country ahead of his own wishes and desires,” said Dave Swanson of Platteville, who is active in the Grant County Democratic Party. “I support Kamala Harris as the nominee and feel the party should go to an open convention.”
“President Biden is a true statesman and has been a phenomenal President,” State Representative Clinton Anderson (D-Beloit) said. “Some of the Biden-Harris administration’s accomplishments include the American Rescue Plan, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, and signing marriage equality into law. Thank you for your over 50 years of public service President Biden. His decision to exit this race is a true act of patriotism, and shows his continued commitment to safeguard democracy by defeating Donald Trump.”
Biden’s lack of visibility for several days and the fact that Biden did not announce his departure from the presidential race in a nationally televised address led to questions about Biden’s health.
U.S. Rep. Derrick Van Orden (R-Prairie du Chien) called on Harris Monday to invoke the U.S. Constitution’s 25th Amendment and remove Biden from office.
“We cannot have a Commander in Chief in charge of the nuclear codes who is experiencing the level of cognitive decline that we see in President Biden,” said Van Orden in a news release. “In order to restore Americans and our allies’ trust in the United States government, I have requested that Vice President Harris exercise Section 4 of the 25th Amendment to declare that President Biden is unable to discharge the powers and duties required of him as president.
“The world looks to the United States for leadership and strength, and we cannot reassure the American people or our global partners of this until President Biden is removed from office.”
“The President should not resign before the end of his term unless he’s unable to carry out his duties,” said Swanson.
By July 24, Harris had enough verbal commitments from Democratic delegates to be the party’s likely nominee.
“As an American, as a Wisconsinite, and as a Democrat, I look forward to supporting Vice President Kamala Harris in her campaign for President,” said State Senator Mark Spreitzer (D-Beloit, 15th District). “Kamala Harris has been a crucial part of every accomplishment of the Biden-Harris Administration, and her experience as an Attorney General, U.S. Senator, and Vice President means that she is ready to lead on day one. Vice President Harris will defeat Donald Trump in November and finish the job the Biden-Harris Administration started.”
Harris was born in 1964 in Oakland, Calif., and her parents — her father is of Afro-Jamaican descent, and her mother, born in India — moved the family to Madison, where she lived as a Wisconsin resident from ages 3-5. The family moved to Montreal in Canada when Harris was 12.
“Vice President Kamala Harris is the best placed to be our next democratic nominee for President and has what it takes to beat Donald Trump this fall. I fully endorse her to be our nominee and our next president,” Anderson said.
— Adam Krebs contributed to this story