Democrats who urged Biden to exit race say Harris is exceeding expectations

Tim Ryan, the former Ohio congressman, said he “took a lot of hits” from his fellow Democrats in late June, when he became the first Democrat to publicly recommend Vice President Kamala Harris replace President Biden atop the Democratic ticket, after Biden’s disastrous debate performance.

Ryan made waves and headlines on July 2, when he launched a media tour recommending not just that Mr. Biden abandon his reelection bid, but specifically said Harris should be the new nominee.

At a fragile moment, with Democrats frustrated and fearful about the president’s reelection prospects, Ryan posted on social media that Harris “has significantly grown into her job, she will destroy Trump in debate, highlight choice (as an) issue, energize our base, bring back young voters and give us generational change. It’s time!”

He said he thought he was just “whistling in the wind” a few weeks later, when he later called on Harris to select Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz to be her running mate.

Laughing aloud, Ryan told CBS News he recently received a text message from a friend who was impressed by his newfound ability to predict the future. “When are we going to Vegas,” the friend asked.

Ryan, who ran briefly against Harris in the 2020 Democratic presidential primary, is thrilled to see how the race is turning out so far. Between his 10-year old’s football games — which Ryan is coaching — he spoke with CBS News by phone and said Harris has proven to be an “even better” presidential nominee than he expected.

“I knew that she would be super-well received,” Ryan said. “But I didn’t realize it would be this level of excitement. I knew people would be jazzed and ready to roll and knew it would energize our base and young people, but not at this level.”

Harris’ first presidential debate performance has been well-received, and most polls show that since she became the presumptive Democratic nominee, she has closed the gap that was opening between Mr. Biden and Trump. Her performance as the new nominee has so far seemed to vindicate the historic and — at the time — controversial calls from congressional Democrats for Mr. Biden to stand down.

Rep. Lloyd Doggett, a 15th-term Democrat from Austin, Texas, told CBS News, “I’m really encouraged by the way it has worked out.” Doggett was the first sitting member of Congress to publicly urge Biden to stand down.  

Speaking near the House floor between votes this week, Doggett told CBS News he was pleased dozens of other congressional Democrats later joined his call for a new nominee, but didn’t expect several days or weeks would pass before others would make similar public statements.  

“The speed of it was a little slower than I would have liked,” Doggett said. “There were a number of people who vigorously insisted ‘There was nothing to talk about here.’ And that it was the president’s sole decision.’ I was pleased that we finally got the result after three weeks.” 

Harris’ emergence has bolstered the prospects of other Democrats seeking election or reelection, according to several congressional Democrats who spoke with CBS News.

Rep. Angie Craig, a third-term moderate Democrat in a competitive district south of Minneapolis, was also among the first wave of Democrats who called on Mr. Biden to leave the race.   

“The top of the ticket has moved significantly in my district since the switch,” Craig told CBS News. 

She said her conversations with other House Democrats indicate the Harris-Walz ticket has helped shift polls 4 to12 points in some of the competitive congressional districts nationwide.

House Democratic campaign officials think Harris’ ascension will energize voters and help with down-ballot races in November. Rep. Suzan Delbene, a Washington Democrat who chairs the House Democratic campaign arm, told CBS News, “House Democrats have been running ahead all cycle, and now we are seeing an additional boost in enthusiasm and energy with Kamala Harris and Tim Walz at the top of the ticket.”  

Ryan said the tenor and the energy of the campaign is just what he envisioned when he recommended Harris become the nominee over the summer.  

“I like the music and the energy at the rallies,” he said. “I mean, it’s jamming. It’s like a concert.” 

But he says he has more recommendations for the national campaign. He’d urge the Harris team to ensure Americans see more of her, and he’s urging the campaign to have Harris appear at more public events and get more face time with voters. While he likes what he calls the “happy warrior stuff,” he says “the vast majority of people — they just want to know you’re tough.”