President Biden drops out of 2024 race: Texas leaders react
President Joe Biden announced that he is ending his 2024 presidential campaign on Sunday afternoon.
Texas leaders, along with the rest of the world, reacted to the news as it came in.
Gov. Greg Abbott
Texas Governor Greg Abbott responded, saying the president's poor debate performance was the beginning of the end.
He hinted that it may have been a set-up.
"It looks more and more like that very early debate was a set up to force Biden to step aside," said Abbott.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton sent a simple response.
"Trump for the Win!" the attorney general said.
Sen. John Cornyn
U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-Texas) turned his attention to Kamala Harris.
"If Dems think trading Biden for his failed Border Czar is going to change anything, they're dreaming," he wrote on social media.
Cornyn also said that if Biden is not seeking reelection that he should also step down from the presidency.
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick says that a Kamala Harris presidency would be 4th term for Barack Obama.
"They picked Biden in 2020 so Obama could serve a third term, and now Obama seeks a fourth term," said Patrick.
Patrick also hinted that the early debate by Biden was a hit from within the party to get Biden to drop out of the race.
Sen. Ted Cruz
U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) simply posted a photo of President Richard Nixon without comment.
Nixon stepped down as president following the Watergate scandal.
Rep. Marc Veasey
NTX Rep. Marc Veasey on Biden ending campaign
Just days after Rep. Marc Veasey (D-Fort Worth) called for President Biden to drop out of the presidential race, he did so. Veasey sits down with FOX 4's Steven Dial about Biden's decision, his thoughts on the potential candidacy of Kamala Harris and how the new Democratic nominee will be chosen.
Rep. Marc Veasey (D-Fort Worth) thanked President Biden for "putting our great nation above all else."
"Our nation would not be where it is today without the tireless work of President Biden. He deserves an enormous amount of credit for his service to the American people, and I have been incredibly proud to work alongside him," Veasey wrote.
Veasey called for the president to end his reelection campaign on Friday.
Rep. Lloyd Doggett
Congressman Lloyd Doggett (D-Austin) was the first Democratic lawmaker to publicly call for President Biden to step down.
On Sunday, he applauded the president's decision.
"Today’s courageous action caps decades of selfless service and opens the door to a Convention that can build on our progress and prevent a takeover of our country by Trump and his gang," Doggett wrote.
Doggett also said the process to pick a replacement for Biden should be open to any candidate who wants to run.
Texas GOP
Texas Republicans lashed out at Vice President Kamala Harris after she was endorsed by President Biden.
"Kamala Harris, the so-called border czar who has rarely visited the border, is just as unfit to serve America as the absent-minded nominee she seeks to replace. Other Democrat prospects have records just as bad," state party leaders wrote.
Rep. Colin Allred
Congressman Colin Allred thanked President Biden after the announcement.
Allred, who is running for Ted Cruz's Senate seat, said Biden put "country before self" when making his decision.
"My sincere hope is that this moment brings our nation one step closer to healing, uniting and fixing our politics," he wrote.
Rep. Jasmine Crockett
Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-Dallas), a staunch supporter of President Biden, responded to the news by saying Biden was not the problem.
"Well I hope the geniuses that pushed the most consequential President of our lifetime out, have a plan," she said.
Crockett goes on to say she will only work on behalf of Vice President Kamala Harris.
Texas Rep. Julie Johnson
Texas State Representative and congressional candidate Julie Johnson called Biden "one of the finest presidents to serve our country."
"Democrats will unite to choose the most experienced and capable leader to defeat tyranny and dictatorship in 2024," said Johnson. "We have beaten Donald Trump and we will do it again."
Johnson is running for Colin Allred's seat in Congress.
Rep. Greg Casar
Congressman Greg Casar (D-Austin) thanked President Biden for his time as president.
"He united Democrats to save our democracy from Trump and our economy from COVID. He stood up to corporations and protected workers like no other president in my lifetime," said Casar.
Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller
Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller, a staunch supported of former President Donald Trump, gave a short statement.
"Unfit to run. Unfit to serve," Miller said.
Texas Rep. James Talarico
Texas Representative James Talarico (D-Austin) called stepping down a "stunning act of patriotism."
"President Biden is putting our country over his own ambitions," Talarico said.
Texas Sen. Roland Gutierrez
Texas Senator Roland Gutierrez (D-San Antonio) thanked Biden for his service.
"I’ll never forget that Joe Biden came to Uvalde immediately after the Robb massacre and acted swiftly to establish the Office of Gun Violence Prevention to end all the needless gun deaths in our country," wrote Gutierrez.
Wendy Davis
Former Texas gubernatorial candidate Wendy Davis weighed in on the president's decision.
"I am so grateful for the devotion, leadership and care with which this presidency has been overseen. President Biden's legacy is one we will all continue to benefit from for decades to come," she said.
Beto O'Rourke
Former Democratic gubernatorial candidate Beto O'Rourke simply wrote, "Courageous and selfless."
Rep. Dan Crenshaw
Congressman Dan Crenshaw (R-The Woodlands) says that he's watching what is happening closely.
"JUST IN: microwaveable popcorn sold out across United States as Democrats possible move to an open convention with Biden dropping out," he joked on X.
This is a developing story.