Tennessee politicians react to Biden dropping out of presidential race

After President Joe Biden announced the end of his re-election campaign on Sunday, some Tennessee Republican lawmakers called for his resignation.

Pressure has been mounting on Biden to drop out of the presidential race for weeks following a poor debate performance on June 27. Throughout the debate, Biden was slow to respond, often sounded raspy or sick, and failed to offer coherent positions on major political issues.

Critics questioned whether 81-year-old Biden was capable of carrying out a successful second term.

Republican lawmakers followed that line of thought after Biden announced he was exiting the race.

“If President Biden isn’t capable of running for President, he cannot be capable of serving as President,” reads a statement from Sen. Bill Hagerty. “He should resign and stop endangering the nation and stop risking the security and well-being of the American people.”

Hagerty also posted to social media about his disapproval of Vice President Kamala Harris not long after Biden endorsed her to replace him as the Democratic candidate.

Remember, “Border Czar” Kamala Harris is responsible for the worst border crisis in our nation’s history. https://t.co/OcVamWrKGO

— Bill Hagerty (@BillHagertyTN) July 21, 2024

U.S. Rep. Diana Harshbarger, R-Kingsport, also called for Biden’s resignation.

“Joe Biden’s decision not to seek reelection confirms what I and many of my colleagues have known for years: Joe Biden is unfit to lead,” her statement reads in part. “Though Democrats and the media have ignored the President’s rapid decline in mental and physical health for months, his decision to drop out of the race is an overt admission of his poor condition and his inability to serve out the rest of his term as President of the United States.”

A few Tennessee Democrats also released statement’s on Biden’s withdrawal.

“I am saddened but I am forever proud of having supported the man who defeated Donald Trump and restored hope in America,” Tennessee Democratic Party Chair Hendrell Remus said in a statement.

Former Nashville mayor and current candidate for Congress Megan Barry also praised Biden in her statement.

“President Biden’s decision to gracefully withdraw showcases his character and dedication to our nation’s future over personal ambition,” her statement reads in part. “We are presented with the opportunity to build on the progress we have made during President Biden’s time in office, but we also face the profound risk of regressing to the politics of division and extremism that a second Trump presidency would bring.”