A growing number of Democratic leaders have rallied behind Kamala Harris after Joe Biden quit the race and endorsed his vice president as the party's presidential candidate.
Under pressure of calls for the 81-year-old President to step out of the campaign for re-election since his below-par performance at the first debate between the presidential candidates, Biden announced his surprise decision Sunday.
Biden announced in a statement that he is withdrawing from the election race "in the best interest of my party and the country," and endorsed Kamala Harris to be the replacement for him as the Democratic Party's nominee.

He made it clear that he will remain in office until January, 2025, and address the nation this week.

"My fellow Democrats, I have decided not to accept the nomination and to focus all my energies on my duties as President for the remainder of my term. My very first decision as the party nominee in 2020 was to pick Kamala Harris as my Vice President. And it's been the best decision I've made. Today I want to offer my full support and endorsement for Kamala to be the nominee."

Biden continues to carry out his official duties from his Delaware residence after testing positive for Covid last week.

Harris, who stands a good chance to become the first Black woman and first American of Indian origin to receive presidential nomination, said she was "honored" to receive the endorsement and vowed to work hard to "earn and win" the nomination.

"I am honored to have the President's endorsement and my intention is to earn and win this nomination," she said in a statement.

Despite Biden's support, it remains to see if around 4,700 delegates will choose Harris as the party's new nominee at the Democratic National Convention in August.

The party will "undertake a transparent and orderly process to move forward as a united Democratic Party with a candidate who can defeat Donald Trump in November," Democratic National Committee chairman Jaime Harrison said in a statement.

Since the Biden-Harris campaign amended filings in a letter sent to the Federal Election Commission to declare Harris as its candidate for president in the November election, it would give the 59-year-old politician and attorney access to campaign funds, reports say.

California Governor Gavin Newsom said "no one is better to prosecute the case against Donald Trump's dark vision" than Harris, who was the Attorney General of California from 2011 to 2017.

Other prominent Democrats who voiced their support for Harris include Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro.