United States President Joe Biden has announced in a letter on X that he is stepping aside as a candidate for the 2024 presidential election and endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris to succeed him as the Democratic nominee. Dozens of Democratic Congress members, governors, and officials have endorsed Harris for president. Biden, who is recovering from COVID-19, has been actively contacting key stakeholders since ending his re-election bid on Sunday, according to the White House.

“Today the President has spoken to a number of Members of Congress, governors, and supporters, and will continue to engage with key stakeholders tonight and tomorrow,” the White House stated. Harris, a former prosecutor and senator, made history as the first Black woman to serve as vice president. Now, she is poised to break another barrier as the favorite to win the Democratic nomination for the presidency.

Biden's decision to withdraw from the 2024 presidential race has set the stage for Kamala Harris, the first non-white woman to potentially become the Democratic presidential nominee. Harris's candidacy is significant due to her diverse background. Born in Oakland, California, she is the daughter of immigrant parents—her mother, Shyamala Gopalan, was a cancer researcher from Chennai, India, and her father, Donald Harris, is an economist from Jamaica. Harris often speaks of her mother’s impact, reflecting on how her commitment to social justice and education shaped her path in public service.

"My mother was very proud of her Indian heritage and taught us, me and my sister Maya, to share in the pride about our culture. We used to go back to India every couple of years. One of the most influential people in my life, in addition to my mother, was my grandfather P.V. Gopalan, who held a post in India similar to the secretary of state position in this country. My grandfather was one of the original Independence fighters in India, and some of my fondest memories from childhood were walking along the beach with him after he retired and lived in Besant Nagar, in what was then called Madras," Harris told CNN in a 2020 interview.

She expressed pride in her roots, stating, "I am proud to be who I am, I am proud of the influences that my family have had on my life, that my community had on my life, and similarly the influence of my mentors and colleagues and friends. One is not to the exclusion of the other -- I believe that point is at the heart of this matter. We have to stop seeing issues and people through a plate-glass window as though we were one-dimensional. Instead, we have to see that most people exist through a prism and they are a sum of many factors — everyone is that way, and that is just the reality of it."

Regarding India's influence on her life, Harris told CNN, "India is the oldest democracy in the world -- so that is part of my background, and without question has had a great deal of influence on what I do today and who I am

Meanwhile, Joe Biden posted on X, "My fellow Democrats, I have decided not to accept the nomination and to focus all my energies on my duties as President for the remainder of my term. 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. 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".

After Biden's decision, Kamala Harris posted on X, "On behalf of the American people, I thank Joe Biden for his extraordinary leadership as President of the United States and for his decades of service to our country. I am honored to have the President’s endorsement and my intention is to earn and win this nomination."

Former President Barack Obama also issued a statement after Joe Biden's decision to withdraw. Here it is

"Joe Biden has been one of America’s most consequential presidents, as well as a dear friend and partner to me. Today, we’ve also been reminded — again — that he’s a patriot of the highest order.

Sixteen years ago, when I began my search for a vice president, I knew about Joe’s remarkable career in public service. But what I came to admire even more was his character — his deep empathy and hard-earned resilience; his fundamental decency and belief that everyone counts.

Since taking office, President Biden has displayed that character again and again. He helped end the pandemic, created millions of jobs, lowered the cost of prescription drugs, passed the first major piece of gun safety legislation in 30 years, made the biggest investment to address climate change in history, and fought to ensure the rights of working people to organize for fair wages and benefits. Internationally, he restored America’s standing in the world, revitalized NATO, and mobilized the world to stand up against Russian aggression in Ukraine.

More than that, President Biden pointed us away from the four years of chaos, falsehood, and division that had characterized Donald Trump’s administration. Through his policies and his example, Joe has reminded us of who we are at our best — a country committed to old-fashioned values like trust and honesty, kindness and hard work; a country that believes in democracy, rule of law, and accountability; a country that insists that everyone, no matter who they are, has a voice and deserves a chance at a better life.

This outstanding track record gave President Biden every right to run for re-election and finish the job he started. Joe understands better than anyone the stakes in this election — how everything he has fought for throughout his life, and everything that the Democratic Party stands for, will be at risk if we allow Donald Trump back in the White House and give Republicans control of Congress.

I also know Joe has never backed down from a fight. For him to look at the political landscape and decide that he should pass the torch to a new nominee is surely one of the toughest in his life. But I know he wouldn’t make this decision unless he believed it was right for America. It’s a testament to Joe Biden’s love of country — and a historic example of a genuine public servant once again putting the interests of the American people ahead of his own that future generations of leaders will do well to follow.

We will be navigating uncharted waters in the days ahead. But I have extraordinary confidence that the leaders of our party will be able to create a process from which an outstanding nominee emerges. I believe that Joe Biden’s vision of a generous, prosperous, and united America that provides opportunity for everyone will be on full display at the Democratic Convention in August. And I expect that every single one of us are prepared to carry that message of hope and progress forward into November and beyond.

For now, Michelle and I just want to express our love and gratitude to Joe and Jill for leading us so ably and courageously during these perilous times — and for their commitment to the ideals of freedom and equality that this country was founded on".