NEW ORLEANS — The news of President Joe Biden’s decision not to run for reelection this Fall was not totally unexpected, still, the timing on Sunday around noon caused reverberations among Louisiana’s politicians and politically-connected.
The future of Biden's campaign for reelection has been in doubt since a poor
U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy said that he had noticed a decline in Biden two years ago and said the move was overdue.
“I’ve pointed out for two years that President Biden’s mental capacity has been declining. In that time, he’s thrown the country, the economy, and the Democratic party into total disarray. This decision is overdue,” he said on Twitter.
House Majority Leader Steve Scalise took to Twitter to slam the Democrats for abandoning Biden and then to slam Biden for his record.
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Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry downplayed Biden's decision and instead focused on what he said was the winning team of Trump and Vance.
Democrats in Louisiana roundly praised Biden for his decision and made clear that they intend to support Vice-President Kamala Harris' candidacy.
Congressman Troy Carter issued a statement saying, "His decision to pass the torch to Vice President Kamala Harris is an amazingly selfless act that resonates deeply with the American people. I have every confidence in Vice President Kamala Harris to continue the great work they have done to strengthen our nation."
New Orleans Councilman Oliver Thomas had similar thoughts.
"President Biden was a strong leader who gave us his best. His presidency represented dedicated, mature, and experienced leadership. Now he’s passing the torch to Vice President Kamala Harris to continue to fight for this country and we must stand with her."