Texas Democrats continue to rally behind Vice President Kamala Harris as the potential candidate to lead the party after President Joe Biden announced on Sunday that he would not seek re-election. Shortly after his announcement, Biden endorsed Harris for the top of the ticket.
The political shockwave from Biden’s decision is still reverberating across the nation and in Texas, as the Democratic Party looks towards the future.
“It broke my heart—I’m not going to lie—it broke my heart,” expressed a visibly emotional U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-Texas) in Washington, D.C. Crockett, who had been campaigning for Biden, described the announcement as ‘disrespectful’ but has now shifted her support to Harris.
“I’m just hoping we don’t have a repeat of 2016; that’s what I’m concerned about,” Crockett said, referring to the divisions within the party during Hillary Clinton’s campaign. “I am hoping that we can move past that. I also understand some of the obstacles Hillary faced, and we probably are going to face them, too. That is why I’m pushing forward to make sure we can counterbalance that effect.”
On Sunday night, Crockett was among several speakers who addressed over 44,000 Black women on a Zoom call organized by Win With Black Women, raising more than $1.5 million in three hours.
Jane Hope Hamilton, a former Democratic Delegate who ran for Congress and managed Biden’s 2020 campaign, praised Biden’s decision to step down due to health concerns. “He did the right thing, he did it at the right time, he was selfless, it was patriotic, and that’s going to be his legacy,” she said. Hamilton emphasized that Biden’s move not only endorsed Harris but also ushered in a new generation of Democratic leaders.
Hamilton shared a personal moment with her 9-year-old daughter who expressed excitement about Harris running for president. “It made me proud that we’re here. It made me proud to have worked on Biden’s campaign and proud of him as a president and the leader of our free nation,” Hamilton said.
Reflecting on Harris’s career, Hamilton noted, “When you think about Kamala Harris, who she is, what she represents, that’s something that so many Americans can look at and be inspired by. It’s her work, her career as a prosecutor, an attorney general, a district attorney, and now the vice president, she is more ready than anyone in this race.”
U.S. Rep. Julie Johnson (D-Texas), who represents House District 115 and is the Democratic nominee for Texas Congressional District 32, also expressed her support for Harris. “I think the president has done a phenomenal job. I respect his decision, and we’re going to move forward as a party,” Johnson said. “The Vice President, Kamala Harris, is the person who is ready for the job day one.”
Johnson highlighted the importance of electing more women to office, especially in the wake of Republican policies restricting reproductive and educational freedoms. “We’ve been wanting to see women break the highest glass ceiling for some time now ever since Hillary ran in 2016,” she said. “It is imperative that a woman wins.”
Harris set a new fundraising record, raising $81 million within 24 hours of Biden’s endorsement. On Monday night, Texas Delegates will hold a call to discuss endorsing Harris.
