Biden Bump: East End Leaders React to President Dropping Re-election Bid

President Joe Biden dropping his re-election campaign July 21 sent shockwaves across the East End — the uncharted waters intensifying rhetoric in the highly watched congressional campaign for the region’s pivotal swing district.

Biden’s decision came amid increasing pressure a month after his poor performance in his debate against former President Donald Trump, the Republican seeking a rematch who recently survived an assassination attempt in Pennsylvania. The president endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris, who is now seeking the Democratic nomination to succeed him. The question locally is how Harris replacing Biden at the top of the ticket may sway results in local races farther down ballots on Election Day, including New York State’s 1st Congressional District that includes the Hamptons and the North Fork.

“After 50 years of service and a very challenging last few years that have clearly taken a toll on him mentally and physically, it’s heartening to see that President Biden and his family are finally acknowledging his prolonged mental decline,” said freshman U.S. Rep. Nick LaLota (R-Rocky Point), who represents the East End. “Prioritizing his health is essential, and I am glad they are taking steps in this direction.”

The development is expected to sway the results of the congressional elections as Democrats seek to retake the U.S. House of Representatives from the GOP, who have a slim majority. LaLota’s seat is among closely watched races nationwide that could swing the balance of power if Democratic voters are energized by Harris to turn out at the polls this fall.

Vying to unseat LaLota is former CNN anchor John Avlon, a Democrat from Sag Harbor who immediately threw his support behind Harris. The congressman’s challenger invoked Harris’ prosecutorial experience and Trump’s recent felony convictions as the starkest recasting of the battle lines in the race.

“The contrast between the dynamic former prosecutor and the aging convicted criminal at the top of our respective tickets could not be clearer,” Avlon said. “Nick Lalota backs the criminal. I’m backing the prosecutor.”

If she wins in November, Harris — the first woman, Black person or person of South Asian descent to serve as vice president — would be the first woman to serve as president.

Republicans are calling on Biden to leave office as well, saying that if he is unable to run, then he’s unable to serve as president. The shakeup less than four months before Election Day lays out new challenges for Trump’s team, which had until recently been focused on contrasting the former president’s vigor and mental acuity with Biden’s. Once a political weakness that hounded Biden, age could become an avenue for attack against Trump.

Democratic lawmakers are hailing President Joe Biden’s historic decision not to seek reelection as putting his country and his party before himself.

U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), who helped persuade the president to drop his bid for a second term, said in a statement that Biden “has not only been a great president and a great legislative leader, but he is a truly amazing human being.”

“His decision, of course, was not easy, but he once again put his country, his party and our future first,” said Schumer, who traveled to Rehoboth Beach earlier this month to speak to Biden directly about the race. “Joe, today shows you are a true patriot and great American.”

New York State Democratic Committee Chairman Jay Jacobs echoed the sentiment.

“I have never admired Joe Biden more than I do today,” said Jacobs. “Voluntarily ceding the nomination and forgoing a chance to serve for another four years in the job that he did so well in and spent a lifetime dreaming of attaining, is as noble an act as ever recorded in America’s political history.”

New York State Republican Party Chairman Ed Cox, a Westhampton native, countered that Biden stepping down will play into Trump’s hands.

“The American people want change, and they will get it,” he said.

Now that the GOP has formally nominated Trump as its Republican presidential nominee, the path forward for Democrats will be closely watched. Democratic National Committee Chairman Jaime Harrison said that “the work that we must do now, while unprecedented, is clear.”

“In the coming days, the party will undertake a transparent and orderly process to move forward,” Harrison said in a statement, with “a candidate who can defeat Donald Trump in November.”

“This process will be governed by established rules and procedures of the party,” Harrison added. “Our delegates are prepared to take seriously their responsibility in swiftly delivering a candidate to the American people.”

His statement also noted: “In short order, the American people will hear from the Democratic Party on next steps and the path forward for the nomination process.”

Suffolk County Republican Committee Chairman Jesse Garcia suggested that Harris should join Biden in resigning.

“America simply can’t afford Kamala Harris,” he said. “It’s time for her to go too.”

Suffolk County Democratic Committee Chairman Rich Schaffer did not respond to a request for comment on how the presidential campaign shakeup may impact local races.

LaLota remained on the offensive as the campaign turned a corner.

“Despite Avlon endorsing him and attending a high-profile fundraiser with Biden just days after a disastrous debate performance, Avlon and others lacked the bipartisanship and basic courage to publicly state that Biden should not continue his campaign,” LaLota said. “Americans deserve better from those in high positions who fail to speak the truth when it matters most.”

Avlon hopes to ride the wave of Harris reinvigorating the race in his effort to unseat the incumbent.

“Now is the time for Democrats to unite,” Avlon said. “I look forward to working with Democrats up and down the ballot here on Long Island to build a broad patriotic coalition to defend our democracy, rebuild the middle class and win in November.”

-With Associated Press