President Joe Biden announced Sunday that he was ending his presidential campaign, endorsing his vice president, Kamala Harris, for the Democratic nomination. As the race for commander in chief enters a new period of uncertainty, the battle for New York’s 19th Congressional District between incumbent Republican Marc Molinaro and his Democratic opponent, Josh Riley, remains bitter and personal.

Biden’s decision comes amid increasing pressure from numerous Democratic lawmakers who have expressed concerns about his ability to serve as president for the next four years. The party is now working at an unprecedented pace as they head into the Democratic National Convention, slated to start on August 19. Shortly after the announcement, both Molinaro and Riley released statements on X.

“I thank President Biden for his service to our country, and I support his decision,” Riley wrote. “I’ll continue to focus on our campaign to bring new leadership to upstate New York.”

Molinaro has long been critical of Riley’s support for the Biden administration’s border security policies. The pair faced off in 2022, with Molinaro coming out on top by just under 5,000 votes. His statement was critical of Riley for his history supporting the president’s political agenda.

“This was the right thing to do for the country,” he wrote. “In my race, nothing has changed. Josh Riley has always been one of the strongest supporters of the Biden–Harris agenda and New Yorkers are less safe because of the border crisis they created. President Biden may not be running, but his failed policies are and voters will hold Josh Riley accountable.”

Since Biden’s announcement, more than 200 Democrats have publicly announced their support for Harris, including U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand. To be considered for the party’s nomination, a candidate must receive signatures from 300 delegates. Delegates may not sign more than one petition.

The chairman of the Broome County Republicans, Benji Federman, said that, by saying Biden was fit to serve for months, New York Democrats deceived voters.

“Local voters understand exactly what’s happening — a last minute bait and switch won’t sway voters from demanding voter security and getting skyrocketing costs under control,” Federman wrote. “While national democrats undergo a divisive nomination process, local Republicans are united and ready to lead.”

Democrats had planned a virtual roll call in early August to decide a nominee before the convention because of a ballot issue in Ohio, where the convention date fell too late for the state to put the nominee on the ballot. The problem has since been corrected, and it is unclear if Democrats will move forward as planned.

Broome County Democrats Chair Karen Beebe echoed national Democrats in commending Biden.

“President Joe Biden has dedicated decades in service to this country and we will always be grateful for his work,” Beebe wrote. “His decision is as selfless as always, putting country above all. The general election is in nearly 100 days; this is an opportunity to engage and energize Democrats, independent voters, and even Republicans in support of elections up and down the ballot. Democrats in Broome County and across the country are prepared to fight for democratic values and Democratic leadership.”