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Election 2024 updates: Democrats raise $46.7M after Biden exit, Harris steps forward

President Joe Biden was under heavy pressure from fellow Democrats.

Last Updated: July 21, 2024, 10:22 PM EDT

President Joe Biden's decision to drop out of the 2024 presidential race on Sunday came after heavy pressure from congressional Democrats, including Democratic Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and more than 30 House lawmakers.

Biden, 81, had resisted calls to step aside that grew almost daily following his poor performance in his June 27 debate with former President Donald Trump and persistent questions about his age and mental fitness. His decision comes just a few months before the Nov. 5 election.

Biden backed his vice president, Kamala Harris for the top of the ticket -- triggering many others in the party to issue statements backing Harris.

10:22 PM EDT

Democrats say they've raised $46.7M: 'Biggest fundraising day of the 2024 cycle'

Barely two hours after announcing it had raised $27.5 million following President Joe Biden's exit from the presidential race and endorsement of Kamala Harris for president, ActBlue says it has now processed $46.7 million in donations.

"UPDATE: As of 9pm ET, grassroots supporters have raised $46.7 million through ActBlue following Vice President Kamala Harris’ campaign launch," the small-dollar donor fundraising platform said in a statement. "This has been the biggest fundraising day of the 2024 cycle. Small-dollar donors are fired up and ready to take on this election."

-ABC News' Gabriella Abdul-Hakim

9:46 PM EDT

Kamala Harris' husband Doug Emhoff praises Biden as a 'true patriot'

Vice President Kamala Harris' husband, second gentleman Doug Emhoff, commented for the first time Sunday night since President Joe Biden announced his decision to drop out of the 2024 race.

"President Biden is a true patriot who leads our nation with honesty, decency, and integrity," Emhoff wrote in a post on X.

Praising Biden's work with Harris, Emhoff said, "They have fought tirelessly for families and communities, delivering for Americans across our nation."

"I am so proud of their accomplishments and thankful for their leadership," he added.

9:06 PM EDT

Would Trump debate Kamala Harris? RNC chairperson weighs in

After President Joe Biden ended his bid for reelection and endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris Sunday, many have begun to wonder how the remainder of the 2024 race will unfold -- including the upcoming presidential debate in September, hosted by ABC News.

Michael Whatley, Republican National Committee chairperson, told ABC News' David Muir that the former president has said "he would accept a debate anywhere, anytime, anyplace."

Now that Biden is out of the race, Chairperson of the RNC Michael Whatley says they still welcome a second debate with "Kamala Harris or anybody else."
Now that Biden is out of the race, Chairperson of the RNC Michael Whatley says they still welcome a second debate with "Kamala Harris or anybody else."

Whatley said Trump would have to make the official confirmation of the debate, however, he said, "We've made it very clear that we welcome that debate."

"We want to talk about the contrast between the Biden-Harris agenda and Donald Trump's agenda where he is going to unite America and lead us into a bolder future," Whatley said.

9:06 PM EDT

Former Gov. Chris Christie says Harris candidacy 'absolutely changes the race'

Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie told ABC News' David Muir Sunday night that Kamala Harris' entry into the presidential race will have a big impact.

"Look, this absolutely changes the race, David. I think anybody who says this doesn't change the race doesn't understand politics," Christie said. "But here's the big question, 'How does it change the race?' And none of us know that [answer] yet. And the reason we don't is because that's going to depend almost exclusively on the performance of these two candidates now."

Christie, who ran for the 2024 GOP nomination for president but dropped out during the primaries, said running for president is different than campaigning for vice president.

"[S]he's going to be under a different level of scrutiny, a different level of pressure, and there's a different expectation level for her than there has been before," Christie said. "So how does she perform, and how does Donald Trump change his approach? He's now not running against 81-year-old Joe Biden. He's running against a much younger woman. And that's going to change the dynamic, too."

Christie said Trump will need to change his tone with Harris coming to the fore.

"Look, when I ran the first time for governor, David, I ran against an incumbent, democratic male. When I ran for reelection, I ran against a woman. And the pace of that race and the way you conduct yourself as a male candidate [against] the female candidate has to have a bit of a different tone to it," Christie said. "The question for me is going to be, 'Can Donald Trump adjust to that, and how will he react to this new dynamic? So, we're to see some very interesting developments over the course of the next number of weeks."

-ABC News’ Jolie Lash

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