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Following President Joe Biden’s shocking announcement on Sunday that he was withdrawing from the presidential race, Utah politicians responded with a mix of gratitude and calls for him to leave the presidency entirely.
The decision came after weeks of Democratic lawmakers calling for Biden to step down, citing concerns about his mental capabilities and ability to effectively campaign against former President Donald Trump.
In a statement Sunday, the Utah Democratic Party praised Biden for his contributions to Utah and the nation, including investing $3.5 billion into Utah infrastructure.
Other Democratic Utah lawmakers, including Utah Senate Minority Leader Luz Escamilla and Utah House Minority Leader Angela Romero, also commended Biden for his time in office and the decision to step back from the campaign.
“I commend President Joe 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,” Escamilla said.
Brian King, Utah’s Democratic challenger to Governor Spencer Cox, called the decision “an act of public good over personal interest” in a social media post.
On the other side of the aisle, Republican lawmakers were dissatisfied with Biden’s decision, with Utah Sen. Mike Lee calling for his resignation.
“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,” Lee said, though Biden didn’t give a reason for his decision. “But stepping down from one and not the other feels like cheating.”
Utah Rep. Burgess Owens shared similar sentiments, saying, “If Joe Biden is unfit to run for re-election, he’s unfit to continue serving as President.”
The Utah Democratic Party said they remain dedicated to getting Democrats elected across Utah and the country and urged members of their party to be united against Trump.
Biden’s decision to step down is the first time since 1968 that a one-term U.S. president has dropped out of a reelection run.
