Wilmington residents react to President Joe Biden ending his reelection campaign and endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris.
The lights were on at Biden’s campaign headquarters in Wilmington Sunday afternoon and staffers were seen trickling into the building – none of whom responded to requests for comments.
But residents passing by - like 73-year-old retired nurse Eileen Crawfort - shared their sentiments that Biden made the right decision to step down.
“He’s done his job well, he can do the next five months really well, finish it out, and pass the torch," Crawfort says.
Crawfort and her husband Doug - both registered Democrats - cited concerns for Biden’s health.
“At his age, it is definite that his health is starting to fail somewhat," Doug Crawfort says. "And another four years, who knows what his health could be like.”
Retired legal assistant and registered democrat Marianne O’Donnell also says she doesn't believe Biden is healthy enough to run.
“I think it was time because I saw how he had gotten worse in the past four years and it didn’t seem like it was good for his health to stay in," O'Donnell says. "And I didn’t really want him to get in there in a year and then die.”
O’Donnell and the Crawforts all say they will vote for anyone but former president Donald Trump. A Republican presidential candidate has not carried Delaware since 1988.
29-year-old Jack Bradley - a registered Democrat - says he was hesitant to immediately call on Biden to step down after last month’s shaky debate performance, noting he thinks the President has had “many strong moments.”
Now Bradley plans to throw his support behind a new Democratic nominee.
“Kamala Harris is the one I think just through the fact that she has been in that administration, that gives her a little bit of a stronger track record," Bradley says. "The only other big name I can think of right now is Gavin Newsom but I think he’s been a little bit more divisive. So I think Harris is probably the one that is going to be able to garner the most support and will probably be able to bring in more moderate voters.”
Sunday night, California’s governor Gavin Newsom endorsed Harris for president, however West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin voiced an interest in challenging the current vice president.
Biden endorsed Harris for president shortly after announcing he would step away from the campaign.
