New Hampshire Democrats congratulate Biden after he drops out of presidential race

As news of President Joe Biden’s decision to abandon his reelection campaign reverberated through the political world Sunday, some Democratic voters in New Hampshire said they were hoping for the best — even though the party remains without an official candidate heading into the November election.

Dustin Ferzacca, a 29-year-old attorney from Salem, said he was relieved that Biden decided to step down.

“If he had stayed in the race and lost, I think we would have looked back and said, ‘What do we do?'” Ferzacca said.

Ferzacca said the prospect of Biden remaining on the ballot — and potentially losing to former President Donald Trump — reminded him of former Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who died while on the bench, opening the possibility of a Republican-appointed justice taking her place.

“We’ve been through this before with RBG,” Ferzacca said. “You know, someone makes the wrong decision to stay longer than they should. At least we’ve done something now.”

In his announcement Sunday, Biden said he was endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris to take his place on the ballot. Linda Graham of Concord had mixed feelings about the news. She said she hoped Biden would come around, but that his decision to step aside was probably the right one in the end.

“It’s sad that it’s come to this,” Graham said. “I’m kind of sorry that Biden didn’t just agree to be president for one term and step aside and figure out this plan for himself and the country.”

Concord resident Nancy Bates expected the decision but said she would have been OK with Biden remaining in the race.

“That debate, where he hesitated a little bit, they spent so much time picking apart that, and it was just one debate,” she said.

Top New Hampshire Democrats had largely supported — at least publicly — keeping Biden on the ticket in the weeks following that debate. In the wake of Biden’s decision to withdraw, they largely praised him for making the choice.

In a statement, Democratic Sen. Jeanne Shaheen praised Biden for “once again putting the country he loves first.” Sen. Maggie Hassan praised what she called “Biden’s ability to carry the weight of the world on his shoulders, while remembering people’s individual hopes and struggles.”

First District Congressman Chris Pappas, who will run in November, said he agrees with Biden’s decision to pass the torch to a new generation. He also said he supports Harris as the party’s new nominee.

Second District Rep. Annie Kuster, who is retiring this year, was more enthusiastic, calling Biden one of the most influential leaders to ever occupy the Oval Office. Kuster also joined Biden in endorsing Harris.

Several prominent New Hampshire Republicans, meanwhile, have said that if Biden is unfit to run for reelection, he should also resign as commander in chief.