Harris Raises $81M In 24 Hours As Endorsements Pile Up; Whitmer Says She’s Staying Put

Vice President Kamala Harris said she raised $81 million within one day after President Joe Biden’s announcement he would not be running for a second term, which set off speculation that Gov. Gretchen Whitmer could be picked for a running mate.

After Biden endorsed Harris on Sunday to take his spot on the campaign trail, Whitmer put those speculations to rest Monday morning with an announcement from her Fight Like Hell PAC. She’s endorsing Harris for the Democratic Party presidential nomination. Moments later, she indicated to reporters after an unrelated event at the Capitol that she wasn’t going to be involved in a national campaign. 

“I’m not leaving Michigan,” she said. “I’m proud to be the governor of Michigan. I’ve been consistent. I know everyone is always suspicious and asking this question over and over again. I know you’re doing your job. I’m not going anywhere.”

She then ducked into her security vehicle.

Less than 24 hours after Biden dropped his reelection bid in favor of Harris, Whitmer and many other Democratic Party or Democratic-leaning organizations were quick to endorse the Vice President. The Democratic National Committee and joint committees claimed that $81 million was added to the Biden team’s $240 million campaign over the prior 24 hours.

“The historic outpouring of support for Vice President Harris represents exactly the kind of grassroots energy and enthusiasm that wins elections. Already, we are seeing a broad and diverse coalition come together to support our critical work of talking to voters that will decide this election,” said Harris for President spokesperson Kevin Munoz.

The Whitmer endorsement for Harris came through her Fight Like Hell PAC, and she told reporters that she was surprised by the X post Sunday of a letter from Biden, despite the swirling conversation that included campaign co-chairs like herself. 

“I wanted a minute to check in with all of my colleagues, let the dust settle. (I’m) proud to be endorsing the vice president for president,” she said.

Her endorsement of Harris came at the same time as Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers. She stated that Harris has her “full support” and she was “fired up” in her endorsement.

“In Vice President Harris, Michigan voters have a presidential candidate they can count on to focus on lowering their costs, restoring their freedoms, bringing jobs and supply chains back home from overseas, and building an economy that works for working people,” Whitmer said.

She said in her release that Harris aligns with her on reproductive issues and, as a fellow former prosecutor, she feels Harris is on the same page.

Whitmer then leveled an attack at former President Donald Trump,calling him a convicted felon who was directly responsible for the Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade.

Other Democrats to pitch their support to Harris included: U.S. Sens. Gary Peters (D-Oakland County) and Debbie Stabenow (D-Lansing), U.S. Reps. Dan Kildee (D-Flint), Debbie Dingell (D-Dearborn), Haley Stevens (D-Birmingham), Elissa Slotkin (D-Holly), Hillary Scholten (D-Grand Rapids) and Shri Thanedar (D-Detroit). The only Michigan member of Congress not to immediately jump on the Harris bandwagon was U.S. Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Detroit).

Tlaib said she was eager to talk to Harris about ending the “genocide” in Gaza, creating a “humane immigration system,” ending fossil fuel subsidies and fighting “corporate greed.”

“We are in unprecedented times, but the demands of our constituents and people across the country remain the same: They want a President and government that is focused on saving lives, giving people the ability to thrive and valuing the humanity of one another over bombs,” Tlaib said.

Michigan Democratic Party Chair Lavora Barnes said she was “fired up” over Harris.

“In a moment where our reproductive freedom and the very basis of our democracy are on the line, Vice President Harris will lead the Democratic Party to victory in November,” Barnes said.

Attorney General Dana Nessel also said she was “enthusiastically” supporting Harris.

The Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee endorsed Harris with New York Sen. Andrea Stewart-Cousins saying she was looking forward to running against Project 2025.

State Reps. Rachel Hood (D-Grand Rapids), Betsy Coffia (D-Traverse City), Jasper R. Martus (D-Flushing), Jason Morgan (D-Ann Arbor) and Phil Skaggs (D-Grand Rapids), and State Sens. Darrin Camilleri (D-Trenton), Stephanie Chang (D-Detroit), Sam Singh (D-East Lansing) and Mallory McMorrow (D-Royal Oak), also threw their hat in the Harris ring along with Speaker of the House Joe Tate (D-Detroit) and Senate Majority Leader Winnie Brinks (D-Grand Rapids).

“It is now our responsibility as Democrats and Americans to unite behind Vice President Harris and carry our candidate through to victory in November,” Tate said.

The Democratic Lieutenant Governors Association also gave their endorsement of Harris, along with Minnesota Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan and Pennsylvania Lt. Gov. Austin Davis;the organization’s chair and vice chair saying the organization was proud to endorse the vice president.

The organization’s top brass also commended Biden for the job he has done as president:

“No person has given more heart and soul into building and supporting the Democratic Party, and without President Biden, our Party wouldn’t be where we are today. We commend President Biden for his commitment to building the bench of the Democratic Party and for passing the baton to the next generation.”

Biden was the first to endorse Harris, which happened on social media about 20 minutes after his letter announcing he would no longer be running.

“My very first decision as the party nominee in 2020 was to pick Kamala Harris as my Vice President,” he wrote. “And it’s been the best decision I’ve made. Today I want to offer my full support and endorsement for Kamala to be the nominee of our party this year. Democrats — it’s time to come together and beat Trump. Let’s do this.”

At 3:32 p.m. July 21, EMILY’s list, the reproductive rights campaign powerhouse, endorsed Harris for president. 

Other advocacy groups and PACs also came out for Harris, including: AAPI Victory Fund, American Federation of Teachers, Asian American Action Fund, ASPIRE PAC, BlackPAC, Brady PAC, CASA in Action, Collective PAC, Congressional Black Caucus PAC, Congressional Hispanic Caucus BOLD PAC, Congressional Progressive Caucus PAC, Emerge America, End Citizens United, Equality PAC, Gen-Z for Change, Grassroots Dems HQ, Higher Heights, Human Rights Campaign, Indian American Impact Fund, Indivisible, Jewish Democratic Council of America, Latino Victory Fund, LPAC, MoveOn, NewDem Action Fund, Nikki Haley Voters PAC, Nuestro PAC, People’s Action, PODER PAC, Reproductive Freedom for All, Somos PAC, SEIU, UnidosUS Action Fund, United Farm Workers, Voters of Tomorrow, and Young Democrats of America. 

Biden wrote that his focus would now be on serving out the rest of his term. The Democratic Party will need to pick its presidential nominee at its Aug. 19-22 convention in Chicago.

Republicans immediately hopped on the narrative that Biden needed to resign immediately.

Senate Minority Leader Aric Nesbitt (R-Lawton) wrote on X that if Biden doesn’t resign, “The 25th amendment must be invoked. If you can’t campaign, you cannot be commander in chief. Then Congress must investigate the security implications of the Biden/Harris cover up of Biden’s diminished capacity.”

Pollster Steve Mitchell of Mitchell Research and Communications, who works with Republican clients, wrote the 1956 open convention for vice president shows how the Democrats can settle their presidential selection process. At that convention, U.S. Sen. Estes Kefauver defeated U.S. Sen. John F. Kennedy.

“It will rivet attention of all Americans and put the winner in strong shape to beat @realDonaldTrump,” he wrote, tagging Whitmer, California Gov. Gavin Newsom, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro and Harris.

Newsom posted his praise for Biden on X, also without mentioning Harris.

“President Biden has been an extraordinary, history-making president — a leader who has fought hard for working people and delivered astonishing results for all Americans. He will go down in history as one of the most impactful and selfless presidents,” he wrote.

U.S. Rep. Jack Bergman (R-Watersmeet) wrote that “Kamala Harris is as culpable as Biden’s senior staff and family in his scheme to subvert democracy – and let a small handful of people who don’t answer to primary voters pick the Democrats’ presidential candidate. 

“We should reward this type of corruption with a resounding loss on Election Day in November.”

Article courtesy MIRS News for SBAM’s Lansing Watchdog e-newsletter.