Pa. Gov. Shapiro endorses VP Harris for president after Biden drops out of 2024 race
Sources with ABC News learned Gov. Shapiro spoke with VP Harris shortly after Biden decided to exit the race.
PENNSYLVANIA (WPVI) -- Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris for president on Sunday, hours after President Joe Biden announced that he is leaving the 2024 presidential race against Donald Trump.
"I will do everything I can to help elect @KamalaHarris as the 47th President of the United States," Shapiro wrote on X.
Sources with ABC News learned that Shapiro was one of the elected Democrats who spoke with Harris shortly after Biden decided to exit the race on Sunday.
Shapiro's name has come up as a possible vice-presidential pick, sources stated.
The source noted that Harris also spoke with House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries on Sunday.
Action News spoke with Pennsylvania's Speaker of the House Joanna McClinton, who is also a super delegate.
She noted that she would like to see Shapiro share the ticket with Harris. Congressman Bob Brady and others in the area also echoed the sentiment.
Biden said in his statement Sunday that he will "stand down" from his reelection campaign.
"It has been the greatest honor of my life to serve as your President," he wrote in part. "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."
In the wake of Biden's decision, he and several others have endorsed Harris for president.
"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," he wrote in part. "Today I want to offer my full support and endorsement for Kamala to be the nominee of our party this year. Democrats - it's time to come together and beat Trump. Let's do this."
Pennsylvania Democrats are expected to address the media in light of the historic decision.
"I fully anticipate Pa. Democrats will convene and formally endorse VP Harris and I'm encouraging people to start that process," said Pa. Senator Sharif Street.
Democrats across Pennsylvania say they mobilized quickly after State Party Chair Street received a text from Biden with his announcement.
"First, I want to thank President Joe Biden for his service to America," Street said after the announcement came in.
Sources told Action News that leading up to this weekend, Sunday was set to be the day that a decision needed to be made regarding Biden's reelection campaign.
Now, state and county chairs are contacting delegates and holding meetings about next steps. Some questions floating around are, 'What will happen to Biden's PAC money? How will it be transferred to Harris if she eventually becomes the party's nominee?'
In Pennsylvania, delegates are unbound.
If another candidate emerges, other options regarding the next steps forward could involve a miniature primary, where candidates would campaign delegates who then would vote for a nominee at the DNC.
Following Biden's announcement, reactions from all over the Delaware Valley have poured in.
Republican Congressman Dan Meuser, who represents parts of Berks County, said many are questioning whether Biden should step down at all. He said Biden's decision was unfair to voters.
"We're at a difficult time and that time has changed, we need to figure out what we need to do," said Meuser.
See the reactions of local lawmakers and politicians
Statement from Pa. Representative Chrissy Houlahan:
"President Joe Biden is one of our nation's best, most impactful presidents. He restored America's reputation as a global leader; brought us out of the pandemic; made bipartisanship, equity, civility, and decency core tenets of his administration; and passed historic legislation that will make us safer, modernize our infrastructure, help our environment, and better position us to compete in the global economy. The country, and the world, is a better place because of him."
Read her full statement here.
WATCH | Delaware Senator Chris Coons on Biden dropping out of presidential race
