Utah politicians react to Joe Biden dropping out of presidential race

Estimated read time: 8-9 minutes

SALT LAKE CITY — Utah politicians reacted to President Joe Biden's decision to withdraw from the 2024 campaign with a mix of gratitude and calls for him to leave the presidency.

Biden announced the decision Sunday, after weeks of speculation and nudging from top Democrats around the country following his disastrous debate performance against Republican nominee and former President Donald Trump. Biden, 81, said he will remain in his role as president through the end of his term in January 2025, and endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris as his successor.

Utah Gov. Spencer Cox said Biden made the right decision.

"Getting old is hard," Cox posted on social media. "I've watched my own dad's struggles with Parkinson's disease and it has been a heavy weight for him and our family. Being in the public spotlight is hard. I can't imagine how tough it must be as president. I'm sure this was a terribly difficult decision for President Biden and his family. He has always been gracious and kind to me and my family — and all the other governors in the (National Governors Association). I don't need to list all our disagreements today. But I do need to thank him for his dedication and years of service to our country and for making the right decision."

Republican Sen. Mitt Romney also said he had disagreements with Biden but that he respected him, while adding that dropping out of the race was the right call.

"I'm a classic Republican and he's a classic Democrat; obviously, President Biden and I usually didn't see eye-to-eye," Romney said in a statement. "I opposed many of his initiatives. But we did find common ground on infrastructure, Ukraine, the Electoral Count Act, adding religious liberty protections to the marriage bill, gun safety measures, and chip manufacturing.

"Others will judge his presidency. However, having worked with him these past few years, I respect President Biden. His decision to withdraw from the race was right and is in the best interest of the country.

Former Utah Gov. Gary Herbert posted a picture on social media of him meeting then-Vice President Biden while serving as the chairman of the National Governors Association. Herbert said he admires the president's "courage in announcing today's decision not to continue running. Aging in the public eye is challenging, and I join with all in praying for his health and well-being."

Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, criticized Biden on social media, saying: "If he were stepping down from both the presidency and his candidacy, he could more credibly argue that he's doing this because of health and age. But stepping down from one and not the other feels like cheating."

"They keep him in office as long as they can, while hiding his condition from the public," Lee continued. "Then, after winning an (essentially) uncontested primary, the(y) switch to another candidate they deem most capable of delivering a win in November."

"He should resign," Lee said in a later post from his official account on the social platform X.

"If Joe Biden is unfit to run for reelection, he's unfit to continue serving as President," said Rep. Burgess Owens, R-Utah. "The Democratic Party will now engage in a completely undemocratic process to find a new candidate, who Donald J. Trump will beat in a landslide this November."

Many Republicans quickly tried to link Harris — who was Biden's running mate in 2020 and again this year — to the president, and insinuated that she had helped try to cover up Biden's condition.

"The Democrat Party is finally admitting what everyone could see for years, no one more than Kamala Harris," stated Rob Axson, chairman of the Utah Republican Party. "Along with Jill Biden, Harris was best positioned to see how dire things were. The truth is that the Dems don't trust Americans to vet candidates. Now Dem Party bosses will make the choice — how democratic. What a disservice to the process and a clear disregard for the American public."

Although Biden won Democratic presidential primaries in every state and territory — except for American Samoa — he has not been officially nominated as the party's candidate. Party delegates are slated to select their candidate at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago beginning Aug. 19.

The party had planned to hold a preconvention virtual vote to nominate Biden in order to meet a deadline to appear on the ballot in Ohio. It's unclear whether that early vote will be delayed or canceled in light of Biden's withdrawal.

Prior to Biden's announcement, U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-Louisiana, told CNN that Democrats face "legal hurdles" to getting another candidate listed on state ballots for November. Utah statute gives registered political parties until Aug. 31 — the date when the lieutenant governor certifies the offices to be voted on — to certify their candidates.

Politicians weren't the only Utahns weighing in on Biden's announcement Sunday. Ryan Smith, the founder of Qualtrics and owner of the NBA's Utah Jazz and NHL's Utah Hockey Club, posted on X saying: "This is the correct move and good leadership. I'm sure it wasn't easy."

Democrats in Utah generally reacted with gratitude for the president's service, noting his record while in office.

Salt Lake County Mayor Jenny Wilson posted that Biden had led with "dignity and decency" during his presidency. "His decision today is the right one for America and exemplifies the legacy of deep devotion to country that he'll leave behind," Wilson said.

Utah Senate Minority Leader Luz Escamilla, D-Salt Lake City, commended Biden "for his unwavering integrity and commendable leadership in making the difficult decision to step down from the nomination, a move that resonates with the American values of resilience and unity."

"His decision embodies the values of our party and mirrors the strength of our nation — that we prioritize the overall progress of the country over personal gain," she said.

Utah House Minority Leader Angela Romero, D-Salt Lake City, thanked the president for "his distinguished service to the United States. Throughout his tenure, he has shown unwavering integrity and commitment to the American people. His leadership has made a lasting impact on both our nation and the state of Utah."

"President Biden is one of the greatest leaders our country has known," the Utah Democratic Party stated. "His administration has made historic investments in our economy, defended democracy overseas, and fought for civil rights at home. We are sincerely thankful for everything he's done for our country."

Ben Anderson, a Democratic delegate from Utah, called Biden a "leader for the history books."

Others praised Biden's decision to step down given the concerns about his age and the party's intense desire to keep Trump from regaining the White House in 2024.

"His decision today to step out of this race is an act of public good over personal interest," said state Rep. Brian King, a Democrat from Salt Lake City who is the party's gubernatorial nominee.

Utah Democratic Party Chairwoman Diane Lewis called Biden "one of the most transformational presidents in the history of our country."

"It is critical that Democrats remain united against Donald Trump, and that we keep his MAGA agenda from undoing all of President Biden's accomplishments," she said. "We remain dedicated to getting Democrats elected across our cities, our state, and our country."

Caroline Gleich, the Democratic nominee for Utah's Senate seat this fall, celebrated the Biden administration's accomplishments, including major climate legislation that has brought an estimated $1 billion investment to the Beehive State.

"Now, let's come together and unite to defeat Donald Trump and usher a new generation of leadership to Washington, D.C.," she said.

"I'm forever grateful for President Biden's lifetime of public service," Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall posted. "His decision today must have been one of the hardest of his life. The motive is, truly, from a deep and unshakable love for our country."

Polling of the race between Biden and Trump has shown both candidates are historically unpopular, and a recent AP-NORC Center for Public Affairs poll found that 70% of Americans wanted Biden to withdraw from the race, along with 57% who would like Trump to step down.

A Reuters/Ipsos poll conducted last week shows Biden and Harris both running close races against Trump, but it found that nearly 70% of respondents think Biden is too old.

Utah Gov. Spencer Cox has predicted in the past that whichever party nominated a candidate other than Biden or Trump would win in a landslide, but was less sure of that assertion when asked about it Friday, saying: "I don't know that it would change my calculus" of the race were Harris to be the Democratic nominee.

Contributing: Roy Burton