On Monday, Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi gave her official endorsement of Vice President Kamala Harris to be the Democratic Party’s nominee for president, coming about 24 hours after President Joe Biden’s announcement he was withdrawing from the 2024 presidential race.

Pelosi, D-Calif., said in a statement: “America has been truly blessed by the wisdom and leadership of President Joe Biden. With love and gratitude, I salute President Biden for always believing in the possibilities of America and giving people the opportunity to reach their fulfillment. As one of our country’s most consequential presidents, President Biden has been not only on the right side of history, but on the right side of the future. Today, it is with immense pride and limitless optimism for our country’s future that I endorse Vice President Kamala Harris for President of the United States. My enthusiastic support for Kamala Harris for President is official, personal and political.”

Pelosi, 84, continued: “Officially, I have seen Kamala Harris’s strength and courage as a champion for working families, notably fighting for a woman’s right to choose. Personally, I have known Kamala Harris for decades as rooted in strong values, faith and a commitment to public service. Politically, make no mistake: Kamala Harris as a woman in politics is brilliantly astute – and I have full confidence that she will lead us to victory in November. In the Democratic Party, our diversity is our strength and our unity is our power. Now, we must unify and charge forward to resoundingly defeat Donald Trump and enthusiastically elect Kamala Harris as the next President of the United States. Onward to victory!””

Despite calls from many of her fellow-Democratic lawmakers for Biden to withdraw over the past weeks, Pelosi never publicly asked Biden to to drop out. However, Pelosi is said to have met privately with Biden to express concerns about his staying in the race, and how that could have an impact on Democratic candidates down-ballot.

Pelosi turned over the reins of the Democratic caucus to Rep. Hakeem Jeffries in 2023.

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