Michigan Democrats rally around Harris – but no word yet from Whitmer
President Joe Biden supports Kamala Harris in heated presidential campaign
President Joe Biden has endorsed his Vice President Kamala Harris as the Democratic presidential candidate.
A handful of key Michigan Democrats immediately endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris as the party’s presidential nominee, a move the party appeared to make to rally support for the former California senator after President Joe Biden dropped out of the race on Sunday.
This move came quickly after Biden publicly expressed his support for his vice president.
However, a handful of equally influential Democrats – including Governor Gretchen Whitmer – did not immediately comment on their participation in the race, suggesting that the party may need more time before officially nominating its candidate for this fall’s presidential race.
U.S. Representatives Dan Kildee (D-Flint), Debbie Dingell (D-Ann Arbor), Hillary Scholten (D-Grand Rapids), Haley Stevens (D-Birmingham) and Shri Thanedar (D-Detroit) all immediately announced their support for Harris.
“There is a lot at stake in this election – let’s stand as a country behind Vice President Kamala Harris and emerge victorious over extremism in November,” Scholten said in a statement.
As of 3:30 p.m. Sunday, the only members of Michigan’s Democratic delegation in the U.S. House of Representatives who did not immediately endorse Harris were U.S. Rep. Elissa Slotkin (D-Hollywood) and Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Democrat) of Detroit.
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Slotkin, who is running to replace U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow, issued a statement endorsing and thanking Biden. But Tlaib, who remains critical of Biden’s stance on the Gaza war, did not immediately comment.
The Speaker of the Michigan House of Representatives, Joe Tate (Democrat of Detroit), also called on his party to choose Harris.
“It is now our responsibility as Democrats and Americans to unite behind Vice President Harris and lead our candidate to victory in November. President Biden’s decision is an example for all of us, and we cannot waste his sacrifice through division and posturing,” Tate said.
Harris has visited Michigan repeatedly, both as a candidate before the 2020 election and as vice president. Democrats and Republicans agree that the path to the White House likely goes through Michigan.
Reach Dave Boucher at [email protected] and on Twitter, formerly known as X, @Dave_Boucher1.
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