“Kamala is a great lawyer and when she stands on that stage with a convicted felon, that’s a huge contrast. But I’ll tell you the other contrast I think might even be more palpable to voters. Yesterday versus today and tomorrow. Donald Trump is yesterday’s chaos and why would we go back to it? Kamala and her running mate are going to represent today and tomorrow.” So Virginia’s U.S. Senator Tim Kaine said on national television this week.

Falls Church’s Favorite Son Congressman Don Beyer issued a more lengthy written statement within hours of President Biden’s withdrawal from the race and his endorsement of Vice President Kamala Harris.
Beyer wrote and published the following:

“President Joe Biden is a great American. Today he made a hard decision few others could have made, showed his character, and put his country first. I am proud of my support for Joe Biden, and proud of his patriotism.

“Joe Biden took office amid the deadliest pandemic in a century, the worst economic decline since the Great Depression, and one of the worst attacks on our democracy in American history. He guided our nation back to normalcy and health, presided over the strongest and fastest economic recovery in history, and achieved bipartisan legislative victories many dismissed as ‘impossible’ in our divided society.

“President Biden’s historic record of job creation and low unemployment, the revitalization of our manufacturing sector, the passage of the American Rescue Plan, the Inflation Reduction Act, the Chips and Science Act, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, the Respect For Marriage Act, and so many other accomplishments will create an incredible and enduring legacy upon which the eyes of history will look with favor. During President Biden’s remaining months in office I will continue to do all I can to help build on his extraordinary record of achievements for the country.

“The past few weeks have been very difficult, but I am proud to be a member of a party that tolerates dissent. We are not a cult of personality where any disagreement results in threats or purges. Democrats are not afraid to allow hard conversations and tough choices, and we are stronger for it.

“In that spirit, I look forward to a fair and open nomination process to choose the next Democratic nominee. As that process unfolds, I will support Vice President Kamala Harris, who already brings strength, compassion, and vision to the office and the ticket. Vice President Harris’ leadership and experience make her uniquely qualified to serve as President, and I am proud to endorse her to be President Biden’s successor. I look forward to doing all I can in the months ahead to defeat Donald Trump and elect Kamala Harris as President of the United States.”

Earlier this week, the Falls Church City Democratic committee chair Jeff Person issued a statement in solid support of Kamala Harris for president. He cited the words of Virginia Democratic Party chair Susan Swecker, saying,

“This is an incredible moment for the country and our Falls Church committee. The Democratic Party of Virginia Chair Susan Swecker said it best:

“‘President Joe Biden has been one of the most transformative and effective presidents in history. In 2020, he ran with a promise to restore the soul of our nation, and he did just that. He has — and will continue to — deliver on his campaign promises that have changed the lives of millions of Americans by leading us out of the pandemic, and rebuilding our economy, and reestablishing America’s position as a trusted global leader. President Biden has never been in politics for himself. Though his decision not to run is painful for so many of us, it represents his greatest quality: unwavering patriotism and service to the American people. Joe Biden’s decision to step aside is one that we deeply respect.’

“DPVA Chair Swecker joined President Biden in endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris to be our nominee for President.”

The following statement came from Cathy Renna, communications director for the National LGBTQ Task Force:

“The National LGBTQ Task Force Action Fund today endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris for President. The organization has not endorsed a presidential candidate since its founding in 1973, when they endorsed President Jimmy Carter.

“The following can be attributed to Kierra Johnson, President, National LGBTQ Task Force Action Fund:

“‘Our decision to endorse Kamala Harris is not simply historic, it is a bold statement about what this election means for the future of LGBTQ+ people in America. It is also a call to action. The equity, health and safety of our communities, the hard-fought progress we have made, and the work that still needs to be done are all at stake. Our communities are under attack on many fronts — from access to trans affirming care to immigration, bodily autonomy, in schools, libraries and more — including many issues at the intersections of our multiple identities.

“‘The Biden/Harris administration advocated for progress on all the issues the Task Force Action Fund focuses on — not simply “LGBTQ rights” but the many ways our diverse communities are impacted by attacks on labor, reproductive rights and bodily autonomy, immigration, voting rights, the education system, health care and more.

“‘We are witnessing an almost unmatched coalescing of people across the country that is inspiring — young voters, individuals who are now re-energized to engage in our democratic process, countless people who now feel hope — and an energy that is crossing all political and cultural boundaries. We also see those who are taking to the streets, organizing and advocating to continue to speak out and hold all elected officials accountable to move our communities forward.

“‘Not only is this a passing of the torch from President Biden to a new generation, it is the passing of the baton in a generations-long, hard-fought relay of groundbreaking presidential candidates and extraordinary humans — from Shirley Chisolm, to Pat Schroeder, to Barack Obama, to Carol Mosely-Braun, to Eleanor Holmes-Norton, to Hillary Clinton…and now to Kamala Harris.

“‘This extraordinary coming together has a single-minded purpose: elect Kamala Harris and not allow extremism and authoritarianism to win.’”