Durham’s most vocal Biden supporter, Mayor Leo Williams, was at a political event in the Bull City alongside U.S. House Representative Ro Khanna when he first heard the news about Biden stepping down.
“I was at a loss for words,” Williams told the INDY, “because it was one of those things where I’m not surprised if it does happen, but you’re still gonna be surprised if it actually does happen.”
Williams has been an ardent champion of the administration, often touting his relationship with federal officials in speeches and other public engagements. The day after Biden’s faltering debate performance, his team held a rally in Raleigh. Williams was first in line to greet the president at the tarmac upon his arrival.
“It’s been a really hard task getting people excited about the race, for obvious reasons, but I was going to do my part,” he says. “I don’t know if my part was going to be enough, because there were so many folks that were just disengaged.”
The potential for a Kamala Harris presidency is giving “2008 vibes,” says Williams, alluding to former president Barack Obama’s first presidential run.
Indeed, Harris has made numerous visits to the Triangle in recent months. On March 1, Harris joined North Carolina governor Roy Cooper in Durham to promote a $30 million dollar investment in local Black-owned businesses as part of the administration’s Investing in America tour earlier this year.
Harris returned to the Triangle on March 26 when she and Biden visited Raleigh to celebrate the administration’s record on expanding health care in North Carolina. Cooper, who is term-limited and not running for reelection, joined the pair for the press conference. Cooper also hosted Biden in Raleigh in early January touting the state’s investment in broadband internet infrastructure.
Cooper is one of a handful of possible running mates being discussed for Harris’s likely presidential run. In a social media post on Sunday, Cooper expressed his confidence in Harris as the party’s nominee.
“Kamala Harris should be the next President,” he said in a statement. “I’ve known [the vice president] going back to our days as AGs, and she has what it takes to defeat Donald Trump and lead our country thoughtfully and with integrity. I look forward to campaigning for her as we work to win NC up and down the ticket.”
Recently, Cooper has been on a regional tour with U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg to promote the administration’s significant investments in infrastructure across North Carolina.
On July 1, Cooper and Buttigieg stopped in Raleigh to celebrate a $1.3 billion investment from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law that will fund high-speed rail connections between Raleigh and Richmond, Virginia. Days later, the pair joined Mayor Leonardo Williams and other local leaders in Durham to highlight a $12 million investment in the city’s proposed Holloway Street Transit Corridor.
Other local Democratic elected officials took to X to express gratitude and admiration for Biden’s accomplishments during his term.
“President Biden is one of the most effective and impactful Presidents in our nation’s history,” said Congresswoman Valerie Foushee, whose district covers Durham and Orange Counties.
“Thank you @POTUS for your years of public service, including a presidency that has been transformative, especially for our cities,” said Raleigh Mayor Mary Ann Baldwin.
Follow Reporter Justin Laidlaw on X or send an email to [email protected]. Comment on this story at [email protected].
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