TIMELINE: President Biden ends 2024 presidential campaign

Following the first presidential debate of the 2024 election on June 27, CBS19 got reaction from local political party representatives. 

While Biden and Trump discussed top issues such as immigration and abortion rights, one of the key takeaways for many viewers was a poor debate performance from Biden. The Associated Press reported the 81-year-old president "appeared pale, gave nonsensical answers, stared blankly and lost his train of thought" throughout the evening.

Several Democratic leaders called upon the president to bow out of the 2024 presidential race following his debate performance. U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett (D-Austin) became the first Democratic lawmaker to call on Biden to exit, saying July 2 he is "hopeful that [Biden] will make the painful and difficult decision to withdraw." 

U.S. Rep. Marc Veasey (D-Fort Worth) released a statement earlier this week calling upon Biden to step away from the campaign.

“We must face the reality that widespread public concerns about your age and fitness are jeopardizing what should be a winning campaign,” the statement read. “We believe the most responsible and patriotic thing you can do at this moment is to step aside as our nominee while continuing to lead our party from the White House.”

A CBS News poll conducted by YouGov from June 28-29 found 45% of registered Democratic voters felt Bden should step aside. 

“We understand the concerns. We get it,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said, insisting President Biden had no intention of stepping away from the campaign. “The president is clear-eyed and he is staying in the race.”

While at a campaign rally in Butler, Pa., a would-be assassin fired shots at former President Trump, injuring his ear and killing Corey Comperatore, a former chief of the Buffalo Township Volunteer Fire Company, who was in attendance at the rally. The shooter, identified as Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20, of nearby Butler Park, was killed by the Secret Service soon after.

Trump took to his social media platform Truth Social to issue a statement following the attempted assassination.

"I want to thank The United States Secret Service and all of Law Enforcement, for their rapid response on the shooting that just took place in Butler, Pennsylvania. Most importantly, I want to extend my condolences to the family of the person at the Rally who was killed, and also to the family of another person that was badly injured. It is incredible that such an act can take place in our Country. Nothing is known at this time about the shooter, who is now dead. I was shot with a bullet that pierced the upper part of my right ear. I knew immediately that something was wing in that I heard a whizzing sound, shots, and immediately felt the bullet ripping through my skin. Much bleeding took place, so I realized then was was happening. GOD BLESS AMERICA!"

Biden issued a statement following the assassination attempt denouncing the attack.

"I have been briefed on the shooting at Donald Trump’s rally in Pennsylvania," Biden said in a statement. "I’m grateful to hear that he’s safe and doing well. I’m praying for him and his family and for all those who were at the rally, as we await further information. Jill and I are grateful to the Secret Service for getting him to safety. There’s no place for this kind of violence in America. We must unite as one nation to condemn it."

Several other local and national leaders issued their own response to the attempt on Trump's life. You can read CBS19's list of those responses here.

Donald Trump formally accepted the GOP presidential nomination July 18 at the Republican National Convention in Wisconsin following the assassination attempt. During the convention, Trump chose Sen. JD Vance of Ohio as his running mate, a onetime-critic-turned-ally and the first millennial to join a major-party ticket.

“After lengthy deliberation and thought, and considering the tremendous talents of many others, I have decided that the person best suited to assume the position of Vice President of the United States is Senator J.D. Vance of the Great State of Ohio,” Trump said in a post on his Truth Social network as the Republican National Convention got underway in Milwaukee.

Trump addressed his survived assassination attempt in a speech delivered at the RNC.

"I'm not supposed to be here tonight," Trump said to the crowd. He added, "I thank you, but I'm not, and I'll tell you, I stand before you in this arena only by the grace of Almighty God."

Trump also took the time to briefly denounce Biden's presidency.

"If you took the 10 worst presidents in the history of the United States. Think of it. The 10 worst. Added them up, they will not have done the damage that Biden has done. Only going to use the term once. Biden. I’m not going to use the name anymore. Just one time. The damage that he’s done to this country is unthinkable. It’s unthinkable."

Biden released a statement Sunday officially confirming an end to his 2024 reelection bid following weeks of repeatedly pushing back against calls to step down. Biden, who will so far be serving out the remainder of his term in office, endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris as a potential 2024 democratic nominee. 

“It has been the greatest honor of my life to serve as your President. And while it has been my intention to seek reelection, I believe it is in the best interest of my party and the country for me to stand down and to focus solely on fulfilling my duties as President for the remainder of my term," Biden wrote in a letter posted to his X account. 

Later, Biden announced his support for Harris in the 2024 presidential election.

Harris is a former district attorney for San Francisco and attorney general for California, and the first woman and first woman of color to serve as the Vice President of the U.S. If elected, she would be the first woman and woman of color to serve as the president of the U.S. 

Biden is currently under quarantine after announcing his COVID-19 Wednesday, and is expected to address the nation later this week with more details about his decision to drop out of the campaign.

Several key events are scheduled to take place before Americans cast their ballots in November. The Democratic National Convention (DNC) is scheduled to begin Aug. 19, during which they will officially nominate their choice for the Democratic presidential candidate. 

The second 2024 presidential debate is scheduled for September 10, where Trump will take the stage against the DNC's chosen candidate.