“Elation” is what Nathan Markee, vice chair of the Easthampton Democratic City Committee, felt when he opened his phone on Sunday to the news that Joe Biden rescinded his candidacy for a second presidential term.

Other local Democrats — whether they were “gonna stick with Biden ‘til the end,” like Markee, or were just eager for stability within the party — echoed this hope that a new candidate will energize the left to get out the vote in what is expected to be a closely contested election against Donald J. Trump, who last week accepted the nomination for the Republican Party.

Biden’s decision to exit the race comes in the wake of a growing number of voices, including state Sen. Jo Comerford of Northampton, from within his party calling for him to step down following a severely wanting debate performance that raised widespread concern about his capacity to continue serving. In a statement on X Sunday afternoon, Biden announced his decision. About 30 minutes later, he posted his endorsement of current Vice President Kamala Harris as his replacement.

“I was grateful to him for making a decision that was selfless and focused on what was best for the party and the country,” said Catherine Kay, chair of the Northampton Democratic City Committee. “I think the world of President Biden and what he has done as president and throughout his political career. I mostly wanted certainty among our party.”

Easthampton Mayor Nicole LaChapelle, who will travel to Chicago next month as a delegate for the Democratic National Convention, said Biden’s announcement “kind of blew [her] mind,” but that it was an “extraordinary decision really driven by his love of the country,” and that Harris has a “great shot” at the presidency in his stead.

“She’s been vetted at the national level, and she’s been in the situation room,” LaChapelle said. “I think the only people who will get in the way of Kamala Harris being the next president of the United States will be the Democratic infrastructure itself.”

Markee seconded this sentiment, stating that “Kamala has an extremely good shot.”

“A lot of the energy, especially around the base, has been revitalized and I think that it’s gonna spill over to swing voters,” he said.

While news of Biden’s historic surrender has shocked and energized Democrats nationwide, Adam Hilton, assistant professor of politics at Mount Holyoke College, advises that this is “still going to be a very tight race,” and that the next steps for the Democrats at the national level is to “shift the conversation away from their internal party chaos.”

“All eyes will be on who the vice presidential pick will be,” he said.

‘Our job now is to consolidate the party’

Biden’s departure from the campaign serves as the closest to an election that a party’s presumptive presidential candidate has ever withdrawn from a race in the U.S. While Democrats from Hampshire and Franklin counties interviewed for this story expressed support for Biden’s decision, there were varied opinions on the timing of his decision.

Orange Democratic Town Committee member Alexandre Schwanz said that while he believed Biden’s withdrawal from the race was poorly-timed, he respected the president’s decision to do “what he believed was best for the country and for the party.”

Schwanz added that the Democratic Party must unite behind whichever candidate it nominates. He speculated that Harris’ ties to Biden will present itself as a double-edged sword in her potential candidacy — on the one hand it may expose Harris to political attacks related to the Biden administration but on the other it will allow her to carry on the “legacy” of the Biden administration.

“There’s no time for a new primary ... so I just thought it was too late to replace him,” Schwanz said. “Our job now is to consolidate the party and get everyone on the same page … good or bad, I think [Biden’s legacy] is going to be one of the things that Republicans will try to attack her on. The good thing is, a lot of people who were concerned about Biden’s age — they can’t say that now.”

The Greenfield Democratic Town Committee released a statement Monday commending Biden for his years of service as president and as vice president under Barack Obama. The statement praised Biden-era legislation, such as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal and the PACT Act, as “some of the most important legislation” of the last 40 years.

“President Biden continued to serve the country with grace and humility,” GDTC stated. “We are thankful for his service and leadership and respect his choice to step aside at this critical moment in history where the United States is facing a movement that is led by an undemocratic and authoritarian candidate.”

Although GDTC did not explicitly comment on Harris’ endorsement in its statement, the committee vowed support of the party’s eventual choice.

“The upcoming months are critically important and we stand firmly behind the Democratic candidate for president,” the committee wrote. “Our thoughts are with the president and Dr. Biden during this time and we are grateful for their continued leadership.”

‘The stakes haven’t changed’

State officials were quick to respond to the momentous news. Not long after Biden’s endorsement of Harris, U.S. Sen Elizabeth Warren issued a statement thanking the current president for his “selfless decision,” while also backing Harris as the Democratic candidate.

“[Harris] is a proven fighter who has been a national leader in safeguarding consumers and protecting access to abortion. As a former prosecutor, she can press a forceful case against allowing Donald Trump to regain the White House,” Warren said in her endorsement. “We have many talented people in our party, but Vice President Harris is the person who was chosen by the voters to succeed Joe Biden if needed. She can unite our party, take on Donald Trump, and win in November.”

U.S. Congressman James McGovern was also eager to endorse Harris’s presidential bid, citing her strengths in the various positions she has occupied at the state and national levels while paying tribute to Biden’s “delivered” promise to “restore the soul of the nation.”

“As Attorney General of California, [Harris] stood with those who had nowhere left to turn, prosecuting sex offenders and victims of for-profit college scams. As a Senator, she championed legislation to fight hunger and combat the climate crisis. As Vice President, she has stood up for women’s rights and worked to represent America’s interests on the world stage,” he said in a statement. “She is proven, she is experienced, and she will unite this country and be an incredible leader.”

Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey and U.S. Congressman Richard Neal also issued statements thanking Biden for his lifetime of public service.

“President Biden’s decision today not to seek reelection is the ultimate example of putting the country first — something Joe Biden has done over and over again in his unparalleled career,” said Healey in a statement.

On Monday, Healey issued an additional statement endorsing Harris, calling her ” a proven leader who has delivered for the American people again and again.”

“As President, she will grow our economy, reduce costs, create jobs, and make sure every woman has access to the health care she needs,” the statement reads.

At a press conference held in Springfield on Monday morning, Neal reminded members of the press and his staff that “the stakes of this election haven’t changed,” and that he is hopeful for a “unified outcome” when it comes time to nominate a new candidate.

Neal said that the Democratic National Committee “are in the process of trying to lay out strategy,” and while he did not outright endorse Harris, he stated that she is “consistent with a quality candidate.”

‘All hands on deck’

Consistent with Neal’s emphasis on the “stakes” of the upcoming election, local Democratic organizers are planning to utilize the momentum brought about by the recent news to get members of their party mobilized to promote Democrat victory from the presidential election to state-level elections.

“The most important message, from the local Democratic parties to the state Democratic parties to the national Democratic Party, is to get out to do the work to elect Democrats … it has never been more urgent,” said Kay. “There’s something everyone can do … it’s all hands on deck right now.”

Elizabeth Silver, vice chair of the Northampton Democratic City Committee, emphasizes that while the presidential race can certainly seem the most “exciting” at moments like this, it’s important to remember that there are “many key races” taking place for other government offices.

As part of the committee, Kay and Silver help to put together a recurring email newsletter, called 413 Staying Connected, detailing ways for party members throughout western Massachusetts to get involved during this election cycle.

Silver is also involved in the Western Massachusetts Take Back Our Democracy Coalition, which organizes a number of efforts and events aimed at encouraging people to vote blue, including phone banking, canvassing efforts, voter registration work, and voter protection initiatives.

“We want to make sure that the only thing people aren’t doing is nothing,” said Silver. “Even if you’re just writing 10 post cards, that’s something.”

Amidst cheers of hopefulness from local party members and officials, Silver believes that “now’s the time to dig in.”

Alexa Lewis can be reached at alewis@gazettenet.com.