Area Democrats praised President Joe Biden for his service but appeared to quickly coalesce around Vice President Kamala Harris as their chosen Democratic nominee to elect at next month’s convention.
“President Joe Biden’s announcement that he will not be seeking reelection marks a significant moment in our nation’s history, and we commend President Biden for his decades of dedicated service to our country,” said a Monday statement from the Richmond County Democratic Party.
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“We are deeply grateful to President Biden for his unwavering leadership and the progress made under his administration,” the local party statement said. “We remain dedicated to building on the foundation he has established as we stand united behind Vice President Kamala Harris to get the job done.”
Traci George, one of 123 Georgia delegates to the Aug. 19-24 convention, said the news of the last 24 hours has had a whirlwind effect on area delegates and party members.
“Overwhelmingly we’re all trying to gather our hearts, minds and souls around the fact that we love Joe Biden,” George said. “Now, we will seek to nominate Vice President Kamala Harris to become the next president,” George said.
Augusta Sen. Harold Jones, like Harris is a former prosecutor and one of approximately three delegates from Augusta, called Biden’s announcement and the events unfolding “a very interesting moment in history.”
Jones said he was a bit surprised by Biden’s announcement. Democratic Party of Georgia Chairwoman Nikema Williams and national party Chairman Jaime Harrison were in Augusta Saturday for state committee elections. All seemed to be “of the same mind” Biden would remain the nominee.
Once the news hit – Jones said he was getting off a plane and had turned his phone off – Jones said he knew it was time to work.
“We only have 10 weeks left before the election, so we really cannot waste time, and I think (Harris) would be good too, so with all these things in mind, I don’t see why there would be any pushback and I’m not seeing any pushback,” Jones said.
Georgia congressmen Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff, the state party as well as prominent state Democrats such as Stacey Abrams and Williams rapidly turned their support to Harris, as did U.S. Rep. Jim Clyburn of South Carolina
The moment holds a unique meaning for Augusta as the city is one of five Workforce Hub cities chosen across the U.S. by the Biden-Harris administration for assistance creating skilled labor pipelines to feed regional industry. The projects have brought First Lady Jill Biden to Augusta and seen Augusta Mayor Garnett Johnson network and travel to Washington, D.C. to help facilitate them.
