LGBTQ+ activists and Democratic Party leaders have responded with sympathy and support to President Joe Biden’s announcement that he is dropping out of the presidential race and endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris as the Democratic nominee.
Known as a strong ally to the LGBTQ+ community, Harris has been a longtime supporter of LGBTQ+ rights. As California Attorney General, she refused to defend Proposition 8, a voter-approved measure that would have allowed courts to invalidate same-sex marriages. As San Francisco District Attorney, Harris officiated some of the first same-sex marriages in the United States two decades ago and has been a vocal advocate for queer rights throughout her career.
Various groups responded to the news on Sunday:
Human Rights Campaign
“We are deeply grateful to President Biden for his more than 50 years of public service and his longstanding support for the LGBTQ+ community,” Human Rights Campaign executive director Kelly Robinson said in a statement. “Today’s announcement reflects his legacy and what President Biden has done throughout his career – put the needs of the American people and our country before himself. We are grateful to the Biden-Harris team for leading the country out of a state of chaos and constant crisis under former President Trump.”
The Biden-Harris Administration is the most pro-LGBTQ+ equality administration in history. We’ve assembled the most diverse administration, signed the Respect Marriage Act to protect against attacks on marriage equality, and taken important steps to protect the transgender community and LGBTQ+ students. President Biden and Vice President Harris have worked closely with HRC and other organizations to get things done and move us closer to equality. I look forward to President Biden addressing the nation later this week.”
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LGBTQ Members of Parliament
California Rep. Robert Garcia, the first gay immigrant elected to Congress, was one of the first to publicly endorse Harris. In a post on Twitter, Garcia wrote, “It’s been an honor to endorse @JoeBiden and @KamalaHarris since day one. Now we must unite behind the VP and defeat Donald Trump. I’m with you, and so are you? Let’s go!”
Garcia, who served as Harris’ campaign co-chair in the 2020 primaries and now serves as her campaign surrogate, added, “During the 2020 primaries, we worked hard to elect Senator Kamala Harris for president. It was an honor to serve as her campaign co-chairs and travel the country for her. When she withdrew, we endorsed Joe Biden. Now we will support both of them by electing her for president.”
New York Representative Ritchie Torres, the first Afro-Latino LGBTQ+ person elected to Congress, also voiced his fervent support for Harris, praising Biden’s decision as a statesmanlike move. In a statement to X, Torres wrote, “President Joe Biden’s selfless decision to step aside for a new generation of leader, Vice President Kamala Harris, is a testament to Washington statesmanlike movers and shakers. President Biden leaves behind a transformative legacy that will place him in the pantheon of great presidents like Franklin Roosevelt and Johnson.”
Torres highlighted Biden’s accomplishments on a range of fronts. “He put our country on track to transition to a clean energy economy and combat devastating climate change,” Torres wrote. “He made the largest infrastructure investment in more than half a century; his unprecedented investments in science and semiconductors positioned America to lead in the 21st century; and he delivered America’s most productive, bipartisan presidency in recent memory, on issues from gun safety to veterans’ health care.”
Finally, Torres emphasized the strength of Biden’s actions, saying, “President Biden’s decision to step down is a sign of strength, not weakness. It is confirmation that Biden has achieved a level of accomplishment in his one term that most two-term presidents would envy and no one could ever match. Biden’s presidency will be monumental for the ages and will be remembered long after his time in office is over.”
Torres and Rep. Mark Takano, co-chairs of Equality PAC, which works to elect LGBTQ+ people to Congress, also issued a joint statement: “President Joe Biden is a patriot and a true believer in our democratic republic. His life in public office has been an inspiration to many, and this action to withdraw from our party’s nomination will help cement his powerful legacy.”
“He is the most pro-LGBTQ president in American history, and together with Vice President Kamala Harris, he has worked unprecedentedly to defend our communities, protect our rights, and create a nation that is inclusive of all. President Biden’s contributions to the LGBTQ community will be remembered for generations to come, and we are incredibly grateful for the work his Administration has done on behalf of LGBTQ Americans.
For LGBTQ Americans, the stakes in this election couldn’t be higher. Our communities, especially members of the transgender community, are demonized and attacked every day by Donald Trump and his MAGA extremists, who try to portray patriotic Americans as a group to be feared. We cannot allow this hate to win. We must support a presidential candidate who shares our values of equality, inclusion and civility.
That nominee is Vice President Kamala Harris, and no one is more prepared to serve in the office of President than VP Harris. Since her time as Attorney General of California, VP Harris has been a staunch advocate for the LGBTQ community, ensuring that our rights are not only protected, but enshrined in law. We look forward to working with her in the next Administration and with the new pro-equality majority in the House of Representatives to pass the Equality Act and ensure that all LGBTQ Americans have equal rights under the law.”
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LGBTQ+ Victory Institute
“LGBTQ+ Victory Institute applauds President Joe Biden for leading the most progressive and inclusive presidency in American history,” Annise Parker, president and CEO of the Victory Institute, said in a statement. “Under President Biden, LGBTQ+ people have received a record number of federal appointments, including to cabinet members, judges, and nearly 14% of his administration. His dedication to supporting the LGBTQ+ community and championing pro-equality legislation and executive actions has produced the most inclusive and affirming administration our country has ever seen. And despite attacks on LGBTQ+ freedoms in state governments across the country, the Biden Administration has strengthened its commitment to LGBTQ+ equality through its actions. We are incredibly grateful to President Biden for his leadership, partnership, and service to our nation. We know we have a trusted ally in Vice President Kamala Harris who will continue to work tirelessly toward full LGBTQ+ equality.”
National LGBTQ Task Force
Kiera Johnson, Executive Director of the National LGBTQ Task Force Action Fund, said: “We are grateful to President Biden for his decades of service and support to the LGBTQ community and all his Administration has done to advance it. At this critical moment for our democracy and freedom, we are hopeful and excited about Vice President Kamala Harris and what she can do for our country. We fully expect her to continue to put our community first, always. We now recommit ourselves to the democratic process, the upcoming conventions, and moving forward toward the November elections. Task Force Action Fund calls on LGBTQ+ people and our allies to take action and get involved in the political process. We can’t begin to build the democracy we deserve unless we show our voting power in the November 5 election.”
Colorado Governor Jared Polis
Colorado Governor Jared Polis, the first openly gay man elected governor, released a statement: “President Biden is a true partner and proud patriot for Colorado. He has served this country for decades, especially during the last four years as Vice President and President under President Obama, leading our nation to many great successes. President Biden has been and is there for Coloradans in times of sorrow and triumph. He has supported Colorado in its fight to provide more affordable clean energy, address climate change, improve our roads and bridges with historic federal funding, and protect our public lands. This was not an easy decision to make, but it is the right one. Joe Biden promised the American people that he would always do the right thing for our country, and he has done so again. I know that President Biden and Jill are making this choice with the American people’s future in mind.” The United States cannot afford four more years of a disastrous Trump administration that could trample rights and freedoms, disrupt our economy, increase our costs, and damage our international standing. “The people of Coloradans and I are deeply grateful to President Biden for his incredible leadership and his tireless dedication to the country we all love.”
New York State Democratic Committee
The New York State Democratic Committee said: “I have admired Joe Biden since his days as a U.S. Senator, and I believed his selection as President Barack Obama’s running mate was a great fit for our country. I respect Joe Biden’s integrity, honesty and the courage he has shown in the face of the most difficult personal adversity. Joe Biden has been one of our nation’s most successful and influential presidents and certainly one of the most productive presidents of the past 60 years, and I respect the job he has done under the most difficult circumstances.”
“I have never had more respect for Joe Biden than I do today. His decision to decline the nomination and forgo the opportunity to serve another four years in the office he has so distinguished himself and which he has dreamed of winning his entire life is as noble an act as any in American political history. Joe Biden’s selflessness — his willingness to put country and party above his own personal desires — places him in the league of every great political leader since George Washington set the standard nearly 225 years ago.”
“Our nation’s gratitude may be obscured by current politics, but history will record and long remember not only what Joe Biden accomplished as President, but what he sacrificed to ensure we remain a ‘Shining City on a Hill.'”
Glad
“President Biden, thank you for your steadfast support and activism for LGBTQ Americans,” GLAAD president and CEO Sarah Kate Ellis tweeted alongside Biden’s withdrawal statement.
California Governor Gavin Newsom tweeted, “President Biden has been an extraordinary, historic President — a leader who fought hard for working people and delivered incredible results for all Americans. He will go down in history as one of the most influential and selfless Presidents ever.”
This story is unfolding.
