Minutes within the announcement that President Joe Biden is withdrawing from the presidential campaign, Democratic leaders in Oregon reacted to the news.
Comments came from U.S. congressional members, candidates for congress, the governor and local leaders in emailed statements and on social media. They sounded a chorus of praise for Biden鈥檚 leadership and legacy and stressed their commitment to defeating former President Donald Trump in November. At the same time, a congressional Republican called on Biden to step down from office while the Republican party bashed Vice President Kamala Harris as Biden鈥檚 replacement.
Oregon DemocratsU.S. Rep. Earl Blumenauer fired off the first statement via email. Blumenauer is the only Oregon congressional member facing retirement at the end of this term, and he鈥檚 also the only Oregon congressional member who publicly called on Biden to step down.
He praised the breadth of Biden鈥檚 accomplishments, noting they came as the country was stumbling out of the pandemic and recovering following an insurrection on Capitol Hill against his election.
鈥淭he president led our nation back from the brink,鈥� Blumenauer said. 鈥淗e reestablished our reputation on the international stage. He enacted landmark legislation to rebuild and renew America, lower prescription drug prices, bolster domestic manufacturing, and combat the climate crisis in the single largest investment made by any government at any point in history.
鈥淭oday, President Joe Biden cemented his legacy in American history as the greatest president in the last 50 years. He made the right decision to spend the remainder of his presidency implementing his landmark achievements rather than fighting a campaign against Donald Trump. I am encouraged that President Biden can devote his full attention to this work.鈥�
U.S. Rep. Andrea Salinas also issued a statement, calling Biden a 鈥渇aithful public servant鈥� who had rebuilt the middle class and bolstered working families in 鈥渢imes of crises.鈥� The next focus, she said, is winning the November election by defeating Trump.
鈥淭his is not a choice between Republican or Democrat. It鈥檚 a choice between democracy and authoritarianism,鈥� Salinas said. 鈥淲e must make our voices heard loud and clear at the ballot box this November and protect democracy for future generations.鈥�
U.S. Rep. Val Hoyle, D-Oregon, said in a statement that the Biden-Harris administration has been one of the most successful for working people, citing the $1.2 trillion infrastructure package, semiconductor funding and other legislation that helped the country recover from economic turmoil caused by the pandemic.
鈥淛oe Biden is a kind and decent man who always put this country first, and today he did so again because he knows how much is at stake in November鈥檚 election,鈥� Hoyle said. 鈥淚 have been proud to stand with and support Joe Biden as he鈥檚 been the most pro-worker, pro-union president in my lifetime and the only president to have ever walked a picket line with striking workers.鈥�
Hoyle also retweeted a post from a Democratic strategist that says, 鈥淩T if you鈥檙e all-in with Kamala Harris for president!鈥� with an emoji of a palm tree and a coconut. Harris supporters have used those emojis to refer to a viral quote from Harris: 鈥淵ou think you just fell out of a coconut tree? You exist in the context of all in which you live and what came before you.鈥�
U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden said in a statement he鈥檚 proud to work with Biden 鈥渙n a record of Democratic successes,鈥� including over Big Pharma, tax policy and the climate crisis: 鈥淗istory will judge well those landmark achievements. I鈥檓 all in to support Vice President Harris with all my energy to go forward building on that impressive record and defeating Donald Trump 鈥� a convicted felon who wants to yank America backward with his checkered and erratic past of right-wing extremism on women鈥檚 health care, dirty energy and more.鈥�
U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley released a statement at the end of day, hailing Biden鈥檚 investments in manufacturing, renewable energy and infrastructure. He said the U.S. was now safer and had better global relationships. But Merkley did not say whether he鈥檇 support Harris at the Democratic National Convention in August, instead focusing on Biden鈥檚 humanity.
鈥淭hroughout decades of public service, President Biden has led with humility and compassion, with a laser-focus on making life better for ordinary Americans,鈥� Merkley said.
Gov. Tina Kotek tweeted a thank you to Biden for decades of leadership and his 鈥渟teadfast dedication鈥� to making life better for working families.
鈥淥regon, and the whole country, are so much better off today 鈥� safer, healthier, and more secure 鈥� because of Joe Biden鈥檚 years of service,鈥� Kotek said.
State Rep. Janelle Bynum, the Democrat running against Republican incumbent Lori Chavez-DeRemer in the 5th Congressional District, thanked Biden for his work in a post on X:
鈥淭hank you to President Biden for your tireless work and dedication to our country. In the midst of crisis, this administration created the strongest economy in the world and lifted up the middle class,鈥� Bynum wrote. 鈥淭his November, we must come together to stand up for democracy, reproductive rights, and all Oregonians. The work continues!鈥�
State Rep. Maxine Dexter, the Democratic nominee to replace Blumenauer in the Portland-based 3rd Congressional District, said Biden has 鈥渙nce again shown what true leadership looks like.鈥�
鈥淭he country owes him a debt of gratitude for creating millions of new jobs, historic investments in our infrastructure, and bold climate action that will make a difference now and for generations to come,鈥� Dexter tweeted.
Kevin Stine, a Medford city councilor who will serve as one of Oregon鈥檚 delegates to the Democratic National Convention, said it was the right decision and that he plans to cast his vote as a delegate for Harris.
鈥淎s 1 of 4,000 delegates to the convention, this was the right choice, and I look forward to what is next. All the best to Joe Biden for his service to the nation,鈥� Stine tweeted.
The Oregon Democratic Party waited hours to react, issuing a statement near the end of day supporting Biden but staying silent the question of whether it would support Harris as the presidential candidate, as Biden has.
鈥淲hat President Biden has achieved during his presidency is unparalleled and should make all Americans proud. We look forward to supporting him as he completes his term of office and to working to support our new Democratic nominee to soundly defeat the existential threat of a Donald Trump election in November,鈥� said Rosa Colquitt, the party鈥檚 chair.
Oregon Republicans
Chavez-DeRemer, in a fierce battle to retain her divided district, questioned Biden鈥檚 ability to fulfill the remainder of his term in a statement directed at her opponent:
鈥淎fter weeks of dodging questions, Oregon voters deserve to know if Janelle Bynum believes President Biden is fit to serve as commander-in-chief for four more months. Additionally, Democrats will be scrambling to choose their new nominee as we quickly approach Election Day. Liberals like Bynum owe it to the millions of Americans who voted for Biden to be transparent in who they will support during this process,鈥� senior advisor Nick Trainer said.
The Oregon GOP did not mention Biden鈥檚 decision, but on X lashed out against Harris, saying, 鈥淣o one has been more central to the coverup of Biden鈥檚 unfitness for office than Kamala Harris.鈥�
And in a separate post, it fired a shot at news organizations: 鈥淭he media colluded with the Democrats around Biden to hide his severe decline from the American public, openly lying to us.鈥�