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After President Joe Biden's decision to step aside as the Democratic presidential nominee, the stunning move upended the 2024 race.
For Gov. Wes Moore of Maryland, a strong ally of Biden who had lined up behind the president's reelection bid, a trusted political partner will no longer be on the ballot in November.
But in an interview with Business insider, Moore said that Vice President Kamala Harris is just the person to step into the role as the Democratic presidential nominee, pointing to the raw enthusiasm that she's already injected into the party after Biden's decision.
"She's bringing a real sense of energy back into the race," the governor said. "She's someone who, aside from having the clear moral high ground, is just someone people are excited about. I think that has fundamentally changed the dynamics of this race overnight."
Moore, who spoke with the president at length on Sunday, said that voters can now focus on the core issues of the election instead of the speculation about Biden's campaign.
"The conversation is no longer about President Biden's age or speech patterns. This election is now about a vision for the future," he said. "I'm very confident that after hearing the vice president's vision about creating more freedoms and economic vitality for the people of our country … that that's what people will buy into."
With less than four months before the general election, Harris is tasked with not only rallying the Democratic base, but also convincing undecided voters — including many independents — to back her candidacy over that of former President Donald Trump.
Moore said that Harris, a former California attorney general and US senator, will be an attractive candidate to independents.
"She's going to be someone who's going to have the ability to create a new type of coalition for the party," the governor said. "I think she's going to have support amongst independents and women, and among Black voters and young voters. She will be able to penetrate new voters in a new way."
For Moore, the Biden-Harris administration's work in aiding Maryland after the March collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore has only strengthened his feelings about the vice president's leadership in Washington.
The incident occurred after the container vessel Dali struck the bridge and sent major portions of it into Patapsco River. Six construction workers lost their lives as they worked to repair potholes on the critical roadway in the early morning hours.
Moore credits the administration for easing the path to recovery for Maryland after the bridge collapse.
"We were able to clear the [Baltimore shipping] channel in 11 weeks instead of 11 months," he said. "People are excited about where we're going, but it's important that they remember all these things are being done in partnership with the Biden-Harris administration."
And the first-term governor has taken himself out of the running as a potential vice-presidential running mate for Harris, saying that while it's "flattering" to be mentioned, his work is anchored in Maryland.
"I really do love my job," he said. "I love the work that we're doing."
