TAMPA, Fla. — As prominent Democrats across the nation coalesce in support of Vice President Kamala Harris’ bid to be the party’s presidential nominee, Tampa Bay Rep. Kathy Castor, D-Tampa, is offering her “strong” endorsement, as well.
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At a press conference Monday in Tampa, Castor argued Harris is the right person to take on the Republican nominee, former President Donald Trump, in November. President Joe Biden announced Sunday he would exit the 2024 presidential race weeks after his halting debate performance.
“The stakes are high and I think Vice President Harris is the right person at the right time to prosecute the case against Donald Trump, a convicted felon, a very, very poor role model for our kids,” Castor said, saying Harris is already galvanizing the democratic voter base with record fundraising numbers.
Castor also pushed back on concerns that with their endorsements, prominent Democrats are circumventing the primary process after Biden announced he was bowing out of his race for reelection, and labeled calls for him to resign as "silly."
"It's very important that President Biden continue to focus on the progress we've made," Castor said. “It’s been the Biden-Harris ticket that’s been endorsed all along the way throughout the primary process,” she added. “You can’t stop the hands of time and I think President Biden finally realized especially after the debate, that it was time to make this very courageous selfless decision.”
The Florida Democratic Party says, so far, 236 of their 254 delegates have pledged support to Harris, ahead of the DNC in Chicago next month.
“It looks like the Democratic Party is coalescing around the vice president, that's a good thing, but right now there are delegates all across the country who are readjusting and making a determination of where they're going to go,” she added.
While Castor has her mind made up on who should lead the ticket, she says the search for a running mate is one she’s looking to see play out, “[Democrats] have a big bench,” pointing to Arizona Senator Mark Kelly as a possible choice.
“Former astronaut, senator from Arizona, Mark Kelly, married to a good friend of mine, Gabby Giffords — who are selfless in their service, as well."
Republicans nationwide already going on the offensive against the new front-runner to take on the former president as Harris begins her first official day of campaigning.
“Every single failure we’ve seen from Joe Biden – the Afghanistan withdrawal, a border crisis, crushing inflation and America weakened abroad- has been delivered hand-in-hand with Kamala Harris," said RNC chairs Michael Whatley and Lara Trump in a statement.
“President Trump is uniting the American people behind his winning agenda," they added.