MA Rep. Clark Endorses VP Kamala Harris After Biden Drops Out

MASSACHUSETTS — One of the major players in Massachusetts politics is throwing her endorsement behind Vice President Kamala Harris after President Joe Biden announced that he would be dropping out of the 2024 race this weekend.

Rep. Catherine Clark, the Democratic Whip, voiced serious support for Harris, who she said would grow the economy by helping the middle class.

"I proudly and enthusiastically endorse Kamala Harris for President of the United States," Clark said.

She continued:

"Vice President Harris is a champion for working families and reproductive freedom. She stood up to corporate greed and lowered prescription drug costs for seniors. She expanded the Child Tax Credit that cut child poverty in half. She is a fierce advocate for affordable child care and housing and helped pass historic gun safety reform. She has fought back against Donald Trump’s abortion bans and will ensure that every woman can access full reproductive health care in every zip code in America."

This comes after Biden's unprecedented move to pull out of election contention this late in the cycle.

The president shared the news of his departure in a letter to the nation, which came in the wake of a disastrous June debate performance against former President Donald Trump that unleashed a wave of growing dissent within Biden's own party.

"It has been the greatest honor of my life to serve as your President," he wrote. "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."

On Biden, Clark said the move to step away after poor debate performances and public snafus was an example of his "steadfast courage and patriotism."

She also cited his pandemic-era achievements and efforts on affordable healthcare and the economy as examples of success during his tenure.

"When he came into office nearly four years ago, our nation was reeling from the pandemic. We were losing thousands of Americans every day to COVID-19, our businesses and schools were closed, and millions were out of work," Clark said.

"Thanks to his tenacity and vision, President Biden got shots in arms, lowered costs for working families, rebuilt our infrastructure, and saved our economy from the brink of collapse. He proved, as he always has, what’s possible when we invest in the American people."

What happens next in the race is still up in the air, but many in the party have shown early signs of support for a Harris candidacy.

Harris, who was on Cape Cod over the weekend for a sold-out campaign event in Provincetown Saturday, voiced support for Biden a day before he dropped out of the race. Tickets for the fundraiser ranged from $150 to $150,000.

More clarity is likely ahead of the Democratic National Convention in Chicago scheduled for Aug. 19-22.

For more on that, read the Patch report here: Biden Dropping Out Of Race For Re-Election; Harris To Run With His Endorsement