Tipsheet

Not All Dems Are Jumping to Endorse Kamala

Jamie Parsons
Jamie Parsons  |  July 23, 2024 2:30 PM

Some endorsers of President Joe Biden's reelection are hesitant to endorse Kamala Harris as president.

Many Democrats are rushing to endorse Harris as president after Biden dropped out of the 2024 election race on Sunday; however, some Biden supporters are hesitating to switch their endorsement over to the vice president.

Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), who endorsed Biden's reelection in April, told CBS News on Monday he is waiting to endorse Harris until he knows she will address the "forgotten" people during her presidency, The Hill reported. Bernie added he would speak with Harris later and wanted to hear her plan for the "working people."

“We had a nice discussion the other day," Sanders said. "But again, what I want to see — because I want her to win — is to speak to the needs of people who have been forgotten for so many years."

Sanders said he is "sure" he will eventually endorse Harris, but he wants to "make sure" the vice president "understands" the weight of running for president. As president, Harris has the power to help the people in the country who "feel ignored" by lawmakers, and Sanders wants to ensure that she will do just that. 

Recommended

Is This Why Gaetz Withdrew His Name From Consideration for Attorney General? Matt Vespa
FEMA Director Denies, Denies, Denies Mia Cathell

According to The Hill, the United Auto Workers Union endorsed Biden in January but is waiting to speak with Harris before making an endorsement. UAW President Shawn Fair said his union was "not going to rush" an endorsement for Harris.

“We’re not going to rush in and just throw it out there," Fair said. "We want to have fruitful discussions when we meet [with Harris’s team]. And I think it’s important we do that. We owe that to them,” Fain told MSNBC’s Jen Psaki, former Biden press secretary.

The UAW released a statement on Biden's candidacy on July 21 praising the vice president for walking "the picket line" with them in 2019. Although the union acknowledged Harris, it also said that in its ideal future, Trump will be "defeated" and the president will be a "champion for the working class."