News of President Joe Biden’s decision to leave the presidential race reached Coloradans as they shopped, got their nails done and dined Sunday afternoon.
For many, Biden’s decision didn’t come as a surprise. Some questioned his ability to serve another four years in office after his presidential debate performance in June. Denver resident Will Cropper said he was relieved when he saw the announcement.
“I appreciate all that he's done,” Cropper said at Denver’s Congress Park, as he was setting up cone drills for his son. “I just think Democrats have shot themselves in the foot by staying in office too long and then not being able to keep going.”
At the Chapel Hills Mall in Colorado Springs, Jymon Garretson, 26, said he thought Biden’s decision to drop out of the race was “a great idea.”
“I think we need Donald Trump here,” he said. “I think he can make our world right again, you know, and get the people (what) we need here and make it a little more cheaper because Biden, he caused everything to go up again.”
Mary Frieden was also at the mall Sunday. She said she was not surprised by Biden’s announcement.
“I have been expecting that and I would applaud him for what I would call doing the right thing,” Frieden said.
Elected officials have all rallied behind Kamala Harris as the presumptive nominee.
Shortly after announcing his intent to withdraw from the election, Biden endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris for the nomination, and his campaign filed paperwork to rename itself to Harris for President. Governor Jared Polis, and all members of Colorado’s Democratic congressional delegation have endorsed her new bid.
Cropper said he doesn’t have any strong opinions about the vice president. While he has no intentions to vote for Trump, he wouldn’t mind Democrats going through an open convention.
“It's been kind of the same old thing for the last eight, 10 years,” he said. “I think it's time we get some new fresh faces in there as well.”
Leah Rice, a realtor from Fruita visiting Denver for the weekend, was getting her nails done when she saw the news. A registered Republican, she said she isn’t sure about her position on Harris as she feels that the vice president has been quiet since assuming office. However, she said this is an opportunity for Democrats to sway her vote.
“I am not voting just for Trump as is,” she said. “If there was somebody else that I felt is going to keep us safer and bring us back to where we need to be, I would vote for whoever that is.”
The Democratic Primary in Colorado and all other states has already passed, meaning roughly 4,600 delegates to the Democratic National Convention will be free to choose whatever candidate they want and make the decision for who will officially replace Biden as the nominee. As of Monday morning, Harris is the only Democrat to throw their hat in the ring.
