NJ Republicans React To Biden's Campaign Decision

NEW JERSEY — The decision by President Joe Biden to withdraw from the 2024 presidential race has New Jersey Republicans questioning why he's still president and demanding he step down.

Biden announced his decision on Sunday afternoon, following nearly three weeks of persistent criticism after his performance in the June 27 debate against former president Donald Trump that fuled concerns about Biden's health and age. Biden, 81, is three years older than Trump, 78, who now is the oldest presidential nominee in U.S. history.

The announcement also comes just after the end of the Republican National Convention, where Trump announced his running mate for vice president will be J.D. Vance, the 39-year-old senator from Ohio who called Trump "reprehensible" in 2016, according to Reuters, but later became one of his strongest supporters.

Republicans in New Jersey have echoed sentiments expressed at the national level, calling for Biden to resign from the presidency now, and questioning his fitness for office.

Chris Smith, New Jersey's longest-serving congressman, said "Biden’s withdrawal underscores serious, ongoing questions about who has been running the administration."

That includes "who has been making significant decisions about America’s international security — especially as it relates to Russia, Ukraine, China and the Middle East, and America’s domestic policies, including the egregiously misguided and dangerous open border," Smith said.

Jeff Van Drew, who represents the 2nd District as a Republican after switching parties in 2020, called it "a sad day" in an interview on Fox News. He said Biden's decision now after the Democratic primaries are over ignores what voters wanted. Van Drew was a Democrat when he was elected to his House seat in 2018.

Tom Kean Jr., who represents New Jersey's 7th District, has not made any public statements regarding Biden's decision to drop out of the race. A message seeking comment was not immediately returned.

Dr. Rajesh Mohan, the Republican running for the 3rd District House seat currently held by Andy Kim, who is the Democratic nominee to replace convicted Sen. Bob Menendez, accused the Democrats of hiding President Biden's "frailties."

"People deserve better than Career Politicians Joe Biden, Kamala Harris, and Herb Conaway" Mohan said in a statement, "who have been dishonest with the people hiding the frailties of Joe Biden and supporting indicted politicians Bob Menendez and Democrat party boss George Norcross."

"If President Biden is unfit to campaign, he is unfit to serve the country as President," Mohan said. "I respect his decision not to seek re-election. However, running the greatest country on the planet is not a walk in the park."

Vance and House Speaker Mike Johnson have called on Biden to resign immediately.

"If Joe Biden ends his reelection campaign, how can he justify remaining President?" Vance wrote Sunday morning on X. "Not running for reelection would be a clear admission that President Trump was right all along about Biden not being mentally fit enough to serve as Commander-in-Chief. There is no middle ground."

"If Joe Biden is not fit to run for President, he is not fit to serve as President. He must resign the office immediately. November 5 cannot arrive soon enough," Johnson said on X Sunday afternoon.