AOC Endorses Harris Days After Warning of ‘Enormous Peril’ if Biden Is Replaced
House Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has officially endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris for president, only days after she went on Instagram Live and warned that the public and the Democratic Party would be in “enormous peril” if President Joe Biden was replaced from the ticket.
However, now that Biden has decided to drop out of the race, many Democrats, such as Ocasio-Cortez, have thrown their support behind Harris.
Biden Steps Down
On Sunday, President Biden released a letter on social media explaining his intent to withdraw from the 2024 presidential race.
![Joe Biden in the Oval Office.](https://images.savvydime.com/2024/07/fe28a339-president_joe_biden_addresses_the_nation_from_the_oval_office.jpg)
Source: Public Domain/Wikimedia Commons
This decision comes after weeks of many prominent Democrat donors and lawmakers asking Biden to step down, as they worried he would not be able to defeat former President Donald Trump.
Biden’s Bad Debate
Calls for Biden to exit the presidential race have been occurring since Biden’s poor performance in a televised debate against Trump.
![Joe Biden smiling and pointing his finger.](https://images.savvydime.com/2024/07/c0b91027-president_joe_biden_departs_after_speaking_at_the_naacp_convention.jpg)
Source: Public Domain/Wikimedia Commons
After this debate, some Democrats worried about Biden’s mental acuity. They also worried over some polls that showed him losing to Trump in battleground states.
Biden Endorses Harris
Immediately after releasing this letter revealing his desire to not seek reelection, Biden also sent out a post on X officially endorsing his Vice President, Kamala Harris, to take his place in the race.
![Joe Biden and Kamala Harris laughing.](https://images.savvydime.com/2024/07/70c1fb50-kamala_harris_white.jpg)
Source: Public Domain/Wikimedia Commons
Harris has already accepted this position and has stated that she will “earn and win” the Democratic nomination.
AOC Supports Biden
Throughout all of these many calls for Biden to step down, the president has had one somewhat unlikely ally: Ocasio-Cortez.
![Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez speaking.](https://images.savvydime.com/2024/07/ae90856e-alexandria_ocasio-cortez_@_sxsw_2019_47353186741.jpg)
Source: nrkbeta/Wikimedia Commons
Ocasio-Cortez, considered one of the more progressive members of the House, has stood by Biden’s side and supported him against growing calls for him to exit the race.
AOC Warned the Public
Only a few days ago, Ocasio-Cortez took to Instagram Live to warn the general public about what she stated she was seeing behind closed doors.
![Alexandria-Ocasio Cortez speaking into a microphone.](https://images.savvydime.com/2024/07/d983ed23-alexandria_ocasio-cortez_@_womens_march_nyc_46115223655.jpg)
Source: Dimitri Rodriguez/Wikimedia Commons
The House Democrat explained that the people who wanted Biden off the ticket also didn’t want Harris to run as president.
Enormous Peril
Ocasio-Cortez further warned that there would be “enormous peril” that would occur if Biden indeed was pushed out of the presidential race.
![The White House seen behind a green lawn and trees.](https://images.savvydime.com/2024/07/31a71d11-rene-deanda-zfklckk-ql0-unsplash.jpg)
Source: René DeAnda/Unsplash
“I have not seen an alternative scenario that I feel will not set us up for enormous peril,” she explained in her Instagram Live.
A Crazy Convention?
Ocasio-Cortez also explained that she thought the idea of an open Democratic convention — where candidates would try to compete for the nomination — was a “crazy” idea that wouldn’t work.
![A blue and red elephant and donkey logo.](https://images.savvydime.com/2024/07/21f1e3ed-kelly-sikkema-xb7n9utdo4i-unsplash.jpg)
Source: Kelly Sikkema/Unsplash
So far, however, it appears this idea of an open convention won’t happen, as many have rallied behind Vice President Harris.
AOC Endorses Harris
Now that Biden has officially stepped down and will no longer be running for president, Ocasio-Cortez has changed her tune — and has already endorsed Harris.
![Kamala Harris behind a podium and microphones.](https://images.savvydime.com/2024/07/fca437eb-kamala_harris_2024_-_22.jpg)
Source: Public Domain/Wikimedia Commons
On X, Ocasio-Cortez posted, “Kamala Harris will be the next President of the United States. I pledge my full support to ensure her victory in November. Now more than ever, it is crucial that our party and country swiftly unite to defeat Donald Trump and the threat to American democracy. Let’s get to work.”
Democrats Rally Around Harris
Since Biden endorsed Harris to take his place, many in the Democratic Party have rushed to rally around Harris as their new potential nominee.
![Kamala Harris at a podium in front of people at a rally.](https://images.savvydime.com/2024/07/7718a7da-kamala_harris_at_july_3_2017_healthcare_rally_5.jpg)
Source: Public Domain/Wikimedia Commons
Already, many major Democratic donors and lawmakers have voiced their public support for Harris. Ocasio-Cortez and many other progressive House members have also endorsed Harris, uniting all parts of the party.
Will Harris Face Opposition?
So far, no major opposition against Harris has appeared. However, analysts have warned that, now that Biden has dropped out last minute, other Democrats could throw their hat into the ring and try to get the nomination.
![Kamala Harris working in her office holding paper.](https://images.savvydime.com/2024/07/a57e3dad-kamala_harris_2024_-_2.jpg)
Source: Public Domain/Wikimedia Commons
On Sunday, reporting suggested that Senator Joe Manchin would run against Harris. By Monday, Manchin had decided he would not go against the vice president.
Some Democrats Haven’t Backed Harris Yet
While Ocasio-Cortez almost immediately endorsed Harris — even though she had warned of this specific outcome not too long ago — many other major Democrats haven’t followed suit.
![Kamala Harris hugging Barack Obama.](https://images.savvydime.com/2024/07/6237f9a6-p20220405as-1146_52067439402.jpg)
Source: Public Domain/Wikimedia Commons
Perhaps most notably, former President Barack Obama hasn’t endorsed Harris yet. Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi also hasn’t officially backed Harris.