WASHINGTON — All eight of Florida’s Democrats in Congress are backing Vice President Kamala Harris for president following President Joe Biden’s decision to bow out of the race and endorse her over the weekend.

What You Need To Know

  • All eight of Florida’s Democrats in Congress are backing Vice President Kamala Harris for president

  • Congressman Maxwell Frost says Biden took input from fellow Democrats about whether he should stay in the race

  • Florida Democratic Party Chair Nikki Fried on Monday told reporters that 236 of the state’s 245 Democratic delegates are pledging to support Harris at the Democratic National Convention in August

"His decision, which was selfless and put country over party to end his campaign and endorse Kamala Harris, sends a very strong message, not only to our leadership but to our convention delegates that his desire and his signal is that he'd like his delegates and our elected leaders across the country to support Kamala Harris as our Democratic party nominee," Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Fla. 25th District, said in an interview with CNN.

As Biden continues to recover from COVID, Monday, Harris delivered her first public remarks since his announcement to step aside. While addressing college athletes on the South Lawn, she took a moment to thank Biden for his service. 

"Joe Biden’s legacy of accomplishment over the past three years is unmatched in modern history," she said. 

Congressman Maxwell Frost, D-Fla. 10th District, said Biden took input from fellow Democrats about whether he should stay in the race. 

"The President didn't come out and say, ‘Shut up. I don't want to hear it. I don’t want to hear it,’" Frost told reporters Sunday. "I sat on three Zoom calls with the President and many members of Congress, where he asked us to be candid with him. And, there were people who spoke from many different viewpoints on that."

At the state level

Florida Democratic Party Chair Nikki Fried on Monday told reporters that 236 of the state’s 245 Democratic delegates are pledging to support Harris at the Democratic National Convention in August. 

“In the race for president, we are running a former prosecutor against a convicted felon,” said Fried. “No one is better prepared than Vice President Harris to prosecute the case against Donald Trump.”

Fried, among other Florida Democrats, highlighted Harris as the most logical and qualified choice to succeed President Joe Biden. 


Should other states follow suit, the Democratic Party may avoid potential infighting so late into the primary election season and so close to the general election.

“Everyone is on board because everyone understands what’s at risk if we go into a contentious convention,” said Miami Gardens Democratic State Sen. Shev Jones. 

Meanwhile, some Florida Republicans have said that Harris is a poor top-of-the-ticket choice.

“I think Harris is worse,” said Palm Bay Republican Rep. Randy Fine. “She’s not smart. She says crazy things. And frankly, for many of the issues that are important to people, she’s worse.”

Florida Republicans are also accusing top Democrats of withholding Biden’s physical and mental state from the public. They maintain they’ll win Florida overwhelmingly in November, despite issues like recreational marijuana and abortion protections on the ballot. 

“Democrats are just rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic,” said Gov. Ron DeSantis of the potential of Harris taking over the ticket.