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BY EMILY D’GYVES AND MARK REAGAN | STAFF WRITERS
President Joe Biden on Sunday dropped out of the election, one week after his opponent — former President Donald Trump — survived an assassination attempt at a rally in Pennsylvania.
When the news broke of Biden’s announcement, the Rio Grande Valley’s congressional delegation responded.
U.S. Rep. Vicente Gonzalez, D-Brownsville, who is locked in a battle with Mayra Flores, praised Biden’s tenure in the White House.
“Under President Joe Biden, we invested billions of dollars in South Texas schools and infrastructure, lowered the cost of prescription drugs and insulin, and triumphed over a global pandemic to improve people’s lives. He clearly restored dignity (and) respect to the White House,” Gonzalez said in his statement posted to Facebook. “I am immensely grateful for his decades of service to our country. Democrats must come together to build on our achievements over the last four years and protect all that we hold dear.”
Flores, who briefly served in Congress after winning a runoff when former U.S. Rep. Filemon Vela resigned in 2022, called on Biden to resign.
“If he’s unfit to run for President then he’s unfit to be President. Maybe he should just outright resign NOW!,” Flores said on Facebook after reposting Biden’s announcement.
She also attacked Gonzalez, her November opponent.
“Congressman Vicente Gonzalez has praised Biden and his policies for years, even doubling down on his support after Biden’s disastrous debate. Gonzalez and Biden are to blame for the border crisis and inflation – and Gonzalez supported these Biden policies even when he knew Biden was unfit to serve,” Flores wrote in the comments in her Facebook post.. “This November, it’s time to show Gonzalez the door and bring in new leadership for South Texas.”
Monica De La Cruz, R-McAllen, railed against Biden, saying he “has no business being in office, but D.C. elites do not care about his cognitive decline.”
“This scandal epitomizes everything that is wrong with Washington. President Biden’s cognitive decline did not happen overnight. It is obvious that power-hungry D.C. insiders waited until the primary process was over to handpick a replacement in their desperation to stop President Trump,” De La Cruz said in a statement.
She said the maneuver raises “deeply troubling questions,” asking why he should remain in office while questioning who “is running the federal government.”
“The American people deserve answers. Whether their new nominee is Kamala Harris or someone else, voters will hold them accountable for this corrupt administration’s failed agenda that has led to record inflation, an unprecedented border crisis, and rising crime. If you are tired of these political games, I invite you to join me in supporting President Trump,” De La Cruz said.
Progressive Democrat Michelle Vallejo, De La Cruz’s opponent in November, thanked Biden for his leadership.
“I applaud President Biden’s decision to pass the torch to the next generation of leaders and thank him for his service to our country,” Vallejo said in a statement posted to X. “I remain focused on South Texas and delivering real results for our families.”
Vallejo also slammed De La Cruz, saying she is putting health care and social security for the Valley’s seniors in danger while attacking the freshman Republican on abortion.
“Because of Monica De La Cruz, our abuelos’ Social Security and Medicare is in danger, health care and drug costs continue to go up, and even rape victims are being denied an abortion in Texas. The Valley deserves so much better than Monica’s broken promises and political games,” Vallejo said in the statement.
U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Laredo, who is the subject of a federal indictment along with his wife, also praised Biden’s tenure.
“I would like to thank President Biden for his leadership. His presidency has seen the passage of key legislation that has boosted our economy, modernized our infrastructure, and offered much-needed support to our veterans,” Cuellar said in his statement. “I look forward (to) supporting the next Democratic nominee for President.”
Texas Democratic Party Chair Gilberto Hinojosa said Biden’s announcement affirms that no one person or party comes before the interests of the United States.
“The President’s decision does not come lightly, and does not discredit the momentous contributions that President Joe Biden delivered over the last four years and through decades of service,” Hinojosa said in the statement.
Hinojosa also said that Independents, Republicans and Democrats “must unite” and “reject Donald Trump, whose extreme defining principles are in opposition to the values of the middle class.”
Meanwhile, the Republican Party of Texas reaffirmed their support for Trump in their statement on X.
“Joe Biden finally agreed with what the rest of the world already knew, he is unfit to be President. The Democrat Party now must override the will of their voters and plunge into chaos. America needs and deserves stability with a positive vision for our future,” the statement reads. “Our recent Republican convention showed President Trump and VP Vance offer that future. We look forward to electing them in November and making America great again.”
Following his announcement, Biden officially endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris as his choice for the nominee.
“My very first decision as the party nominee in 2020 was to pick Kamala Harris as my Vice President. And it’s been the best decision I’ve made,” Biden wrote on X. “Today I want to offer my full support and endorsement for Kamala to be the nominee of our party this year.“
Biden’s decision comes after pressure from his Democratic allies to step aside following the 81-year-old president’s terrible June 27 debate performance, where he trailed off frequently and did not call out Trump’s falsehoods, raising age concerns.
“It has been the greatest honor of my life to serve as your President,” Biden said in his letter. “And while it has been my intention to seek reelection, I believe it is in the best interest of my party and the country for me to stand down and to focus solely on fulfilling my duties as President for the remainder of my term.”
Biden also said in his letter that he will speak at greater length regarding his decision later this week.
