Utah’s Democratic delegation swap endorsement from Biden to Kamala Harris

The Utah State Capitol. Photo: Dustin Humes

SALT LAKE CITY – After President Biden’s announcement on Sunday, July 21, to withdraw from the 2024 Presidential race, Democrats nationwide are now rallying behind his current Vice President, Kamala Harris, to support her bid for the 2024 Democratic nomination.

President Biden also endorsed Harris for the Democratic nominee on Sunday in a post on X (formerly Twitter).

Before President Biden’s decision to withdraw from the 2024 election, the Utah Democratic Party (UDP) had voiced strong support for his candidacy. In June, the Utah Democratic Party released a statement, stating that “Joe Biden is the only Presidential candidate who stands for Utah families.”

Since Biden’s decision to withdraw, both the UDP and the Democratic Caucus in the Utah House of Representatives have swapped their endorsements from Biden to Harris’s bid for the Democratic nomination.

“Our Caucus stands with Vice-President Kamala Harris. As President Biden’s running mate, Vice-President Harris was critical to defeating Donald Trump in the 2020 election, making her the most qualified candidate to take on Donald Trump in this election,” Utah House Minority Leader Angela Romero said.

“Her proven track record defending LGBTQ+ rights, reproductive healthcare, and worker’s rights shows that, as President, she will fight for Utah families.”

UDP chair Diane Lewis touted Harris’s experiences serving as California’s Attorney General as well as serving as a Senator representing California in Washington.

“I am proud to announce that the Utah Delegation to the Democratic National Convention has unanimously endorsed Vice-President Kamala Harris for the Democratic Presidential Nomination,” Lewis said.

“From prosecuting criminals and investigating predatory banks as Attorney General of California to casting the tie-breaking vote to pass the Inflation Reduction Act, Kamala Harris is the most qualified candidate to lead our country for the next four years.”

Lewis also credits Harris’s legal background, which she believes makes her “the perfect candidate to defeat Donald Trump, a convicted felon and twice-impeached ex-President.”

The UDP has also criticized Trump and his newly-picked running mate J.D. Vance for “stoking division” among Americans. In the same statement, chair Diane Lewis said that “To prevent further turmoil and division, Democrats must defeat Donald Trump and his MAGA acolytes at the ballot box this November.”

To shed some light on Trump “stoking division” among Americans, the UDP presented a choice for Utah residents, offering “a return to the racism, authoritarianism, and economic turmoil of his first term of the Trump Presidency,” or to vote Democrat for a “continuation of economic success” and “institutional support for women’s rights.”

The Democratic National Convention, which will determine if Harris will be the official nominee, will be held from August 19 through August 22 in Chicago.