Oklahoma leaders are sharing their thoughts on President Joe Biden dropping out of the 2024 presidential race.

Oklahoma House Democratic Leader Cyndi Munson released the following statement:

“Joe Biden has provided steady leadership during times of great turmoil in America, and I thank him for his service as President for the last three and a half years. Democrats in Oklahoma are energized, and we will unite behind our Presidential nominee.

Oklahomans are concerned about our public schools, healthcare, and the extreme policies that hold back our state. As I visit with voters across the state, Oklahomans are enthusiastic about opportunities to restore balance at the Capitol and to protect democracy in our nation. I am confident that will be the message we take to the ballot box in November.”

Oklahoma U.S. Senator James Lankford released the following statement:

“As I have said for months, President Biden was behind in every poll because of his policies, not his age or mental capacity. Democrats gave us high prices, open borders, and weak standing in the world.  That’s not just Biden’s legacy, it is the legacy of the modern Democratic Party. Let’s Make America Great Again”

Tulsa County Democratic Party Chairman Bruce Niemi shared the following statement:

“President Biden has made a significant announcement by stepping down as the Democratic Presidential Candidate.

We can all agree that his and his administration’s service to the people of our country has been commendable, and he has consistently supported the American people through various challenges, including a global pandemic, the fall of Roe V Wade, an insurrection, infrastructure, and countless others.

We are grateful for his leadership and respect his decision to step down and not run for re-election.

The delegation was pledged to Joe Biden. I gather we will be released to vote our “conscience” in an open convention.

We hope we can all come together as a nation to support the new Democratic Presidential Candidate at the DNC Convention and beyond.”

Oklahoma Congressman Josh Brecheen shared the following statement:

“If President Biden is not well enough to be the next Democrat nominee, he is not well enough to continue serving as President. President Biden should resign immediately. Whoever is the Democrat nominee is going to have a tough time defending the Biden-Harris record, which has been marked by historic inflation, crime, and wide-open borders. The American people have seen enough.”

Oklahoma Democratic Party Chairwoman Alicia Andrews shared the following message, in part, at a press conference about the decision on Sunday:

“I am here to talk about the recent news of President Joe Biden deciding to end his campaign for re-election and then endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris,” said Andrews. “Just like most folks, I am a little surprised. I have a lot of mixed emotions. I am speaking for myself as the chair, I am ready to support Vice President Harris immediately, robustly and with everything in me.”

Oklahoma Congressman Kevin Hern shared the following message on X:

“If Joe Biden is unfit to be the Democrat nominee for president, he’s unfit to be president for the rest of his term.

For the good of the country, Joe Biden should resign immediately.”

Democratic nominee for U.S. Congress in Oklahoma’s 1st Congressional District, Dennis Baker, released the following statement:

“We have many questions ahead of us, but one thing I do not question is the strength and resolve of our American democracy. Change means the process is working. I fully support Joe Biden’s decision to drop out of the race. I have faith in the Democratic process to select our next nominee for President. My goal remains the same as the Democratic nominee for the 1st Congressional District – win this Congressional seat and bring Oklahoma values back to Washington.”

Oklahoma Congressman Tom Cole shared the following statement:

“Today’s stunning announcement by President Biden that he is withdrawing from the presidential race is an admission that he cannot win re-election and that in the Democratic Party the will of the political elite is more important than the votes of ordinary Americans.

President Biden won the Democratic nomination fair and square. Indeed the same elite that are turning on him now helped to engineer that victory by shutting out other legitimate contenders for the nomination. However, when it became apparent that President Biden was unlikely to win a general election against former President Trump his erstwhile allies quickly showed him the door and are now frantically searching for an alternative nominee who might offer them a better chance to hold on to power.

The transparent cynicism of this desperate attempt to hang on to political power by the Democratic political insiders is breathtaking for its sheer audacity and hypocrisy. They respect neither their own process nor their own voters. To them this election is not about defending democracy. It is about subverting it and substituting the interests of a self appointed and self serving political cabal for the will of millions of Democratic voters who played by the rules and expressed their opinion at the ballot box.

The contrast between this political circus and the free and open process operated by the Republican Party could not be more stark and more clear. Donald Trump faced many able and worthy competitors in dozens of primaries and bested them all. Whoever the Democratic elite anoints as their party’s nominee will not have won a single legitimate primary nor the vote of a single Democratic voter.

If Democratic leaders truly believe President Biden is not fit to run as the Democratic nominee then they should follow through on the logic of that conclusion and urge him to resign immediately. If, after winning every Democratic primary. President Biden is not fit to be the Democratic nominee in November then he is certainly not qualified to remain as President today.

History will record this moment for what it is the cynical and self serving effort of a corrupt political elite to maintain its position by subverting and manipulating the democratic process. I believe the American people will see through this sham, punish the Democratic elite for changing the rules in the middle of the game, and deliver Donald Trump and the Republican Party a resounding victory in the November election.”

Oklahoma National Democratic Committeewoman Kalyn Free shared the following statement:

“President Biden loves our country and our democracy. Americans owe him a tremendous debt of gratitude not just for the legislation and policies he championed in his 50+ years in the Senate and White House which changed the trajectory of America. But, also for breaking glass ceilings by selecting Kamala as his VP, appointing Katanji Jackson to SCOTUS, historic appointments of Secretaries of Interior and Transportation, six Native women to the federal bench, always standing up for Indian Country, Armed Forces and Veterans, Reproductive Freedom, Education, rural American, organized labor, and the list goes on. The President knows what is at stake in this election and what a second term for Trump would bring. He saved us from a second Trump turn once, and his decision today will save us from a second Trump term again.”

Oklahoma U.S. Sen. Markwayne Mullin shared the following message on X:

“If Joe Biden is unfit to run for re-election, he is unfit to carry out his term. 25th Amendment.”

Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. shared the following statement:

“As we have since the founding of the United States, Cherokee Nation looks to the presidency and who occupies it with great interest. News today of President Biden’s decision to end his campaign for a second term is, of course, relevant to Cherokee Nation as we look ahead to the future of the United States and our place in it.

Under my administration, our approach to Presidential politics as well as day to day engagement with the executive branch overseen by the President, is non-partisan. We seek a relationship with the United States without fear or favor as it relates to who serves as President. We raise issues with the executive branch of the federal government in the interests of Cherokee Nation, and often more broadly in the interests of Indian Country.

As Principal Chief I have worked with two presidential administrations during challenging times. I have always put the interests of the tribal nation and the interest of Cherokee citizens ahead of any personal political interests. The result has been a strong working relationship with federal partners from the President on down.

I could not let today’s news pass without expressing my thanks, on behalf of Cherokee Nation, for the Biden/Harris administration’s commitment to Indian Country. The Biden/ Harris administration has set a tone of respect and meaningful government-to-government relations with tribal nations and has matched that tone with considerable substance and resources. Notably, this includes the appointment of the first native woman as Secretary of the Interior and six native women to the federal bench. All of those efforts, of course, often required and received bipartisan support.

So, for those reasons, along with his half century in public service, President Biden has in my view earned our appreciation and respect.

President Biden’s decision to withdraw from the 2024 presidential race could not have been personally an easy one, which is also the basis for respect without regard to politics.

As momentous as this news is, Cherokee Nation’s approach to polities and engagement with our federal partners cannot and will not change.

We will stay engaged in the process and political campaigns, but without regard to party and by always putting the interests of the Cherokee Nation first. We will continue to encourage Cherokees to get involved civically as American citizens by registering to vote, staying informed and voting.

My hope is that all of the 468,000 Cherokees who are eligible to vote do so. I hope the sometimes challenging and alarming events of this election cycle spurs us, collectively, to get more engaged than ever and vote in record numbers. Let us feel the urgency to participate in our democracy and tell the country- as well as whoever holds the office of President- that we are still here, stronger than ever.”

Oklahoma State Superintendent Ryan Walters shared the following messages on X:

“Joe Biden has created the most destruction our country has ever seen. History will not evaluate his time kindly.”

“History will not look kindly on those who covered up for Joe Biden’s decline, including the media and his WH and campaign staff. Chief among those is Kamala Harris. She lied so that she could stay in power. We should not reward her with more power.”