President Biden's announcement Sunday that he's stepping down from his re-election campaign has rocked the political establishment. Voters are wondering what happens next and which candidate will end up on the ballot.
WKAR’s Michelle Jokisch Polo spoke with our political reporter, Arjun Thakkar, to break down how Biden’s decision is impacting voters and politicians here in Michigan.
Interview Highlights
On what Michigan Democrats are saying
Governor Gretchen Whitmer, who was a co-chair for the Biden campaign, put out a statement saying she's committed to helping elect a Democrat to the presidency and defeating former President Trump.
And some candidates are already backing up behind her. Curtis Hertel Jr. who is running for Michigan's seventh congressional district called Biden's decision "historic and patriotic." Senate hopeful Hill Harper reiterated his support for Harris and said the Democrats need to build a broad coalition to win the state.
On what some voters in Michigan are saying
"I think the party owes it to itself and to people. Come up with a process of how that's going to be how that's going to take place. I'd hate to see a whole repeat of what just took place."Juan Martinez, independent voter
On what happens to the November ballots
Election clerks will finalize local ballots shortly after delegates nominate the Democratic ticket. Ingham County Clerk Barb Byrum has already released a statement saying the Michigan primary and August will not be affected. She says even with this late change in the presidential contest that clerks will have their ballots ready for voters.
Interview Transcript
Michelle Jokisch Polo: What are we hearing from officials in the state? How are they reacting to President Biden's decision to not seek the presidency?
Arjun Thakkar: We're hearing messages from Democrats across the state thanking Biden for his service and pledging to support whoever becomes their nominee for the presidency. Governor Gretchen Whitmer, who was a co-chair for the Biden campaign, she put out a statement saying she's committed to helping elect a Democrat to the presidency and defeating former President Trump. Curtis Hertel Jr., running for Michigan's 7th Congressional District called Biden's decision historic and patriotic.
Right after President Biden announced he won't be running for a second term he endorsed his vice president Kamala Harris to lead the Democratic ticket and some candidates are already backing up behind her. Senate hopeful Hill Harper reiterated his support for Harris and said the Democrats need to build a broad coalition to win the state.
Thakkar: Michelle, I know you heard from voters directly about their feelings about Biden's decision. What did they tell you?
Jokisch Polo: I spoke to many different voters and heard a lot of different reactions to this decision. But I talked with a first-time voter in the presidential election, Michigan State University student, Jesse Estrada White, and he says he's been wanting Biden to drop out of the race for months.
Jesse Estrada White: He just doesn't have that progressive agenda that young people want, that working class people need. I think he definitely made the right decision by dropping out and I think it allows the push for a more progressive agenda, a more hopeful vision for the future in 2024 and beyond.
Jokisch Polo: Not everyone I talked to was excited about Biden's decision. Juan Martinez from Okemos has identified as an independent until former President Donald Trump ran for presidential election in 2016 and that's when he voted for the Democratic Party. He says Biden should not have dropped out
Juan Martinez: I think the party owes it to itself and to people to come up with a process of how that's going to be how that's going to take place. I'd hate to see a whole repeat of what just took place.
Jokisch Polo: So, there's some concerns about what happens next in this process. Arjun, have we heard anything from local election officials? How is this going to affect who ends up on the ballot in November?
Thakkar: First, just to be clear, the ballot is not set in stone and whoever the Democrats pick as their presidential and vice-presidential nominees will appear on the ballot in Michigan and across the country. The way those candidates are going to be selected is at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago next month.
Election clerks will finalize local ballots shortly after delegates nominate the Democratic ticket. Ingham County Clerk Barb Byrum has already released a statement saying the Michigan primary in August will not be affected. And she says even with this late change in the presidential contest that clerks will have their ballots ready for voters.
Jokisch Polo: Remind me how can voters get their ballots in for the presidential race?
Thakkar: For the presidential race as well as all the other state and local races voters can get their absentee ballots towards the end of September. They can also vote early towards the end of October, or they can head to the polls in person on Election Day on November 5.
Jokisch Polo: Arjun Thakkar is WKAR's Politics and Civics Reports. Arjun, thanks for joining me.
Thakkar: Thank you, Michelle.
Jokisch Polo: And I'm Michelle Jokisch Polo, this is WKAR.
This conversation has been edited for clarity and conciseness.
