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NAACP members reportedly scrambled to regroup following President Joe Biden’s sudden withdrawal from the race on Sunday, organizing a call with thousands of others by Sunday afternoon. However, one NAACP leader applauds the possibility of Harris as the presidential nominee.

Biden, whose 2020 electoral win was helped by large numbers of Black voters, had just spoken at the NAACP national convention five days before.

“He was right there, showing he was fired up, ready to go and continue the platforms,” Sheley Secrest, president of the NAACP’s state area conference for Alaska, Oregon and Washington, said. “We had no idea that he was thinking of withdrawing or not thinking of going for the reelection.”

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Secrest described Biden’s announcement to step out of the race as “shocking,” but she said now, all eyes are on the Democratic Party’s Convention on Aug. 19.

“NAACP, we’re turning out our voting base. We’ve got 23 units in Washington alone,” she said. “You’re going to see more folks engaged inside the process than I believe we did before with Biden. Folks are excited.”

In the meantime, Vice President Kamala Harris has continued to rack up support from Black leaders in Congress and in Washington. Rep. Jim Clyburn (D-S.C.) declared support for Harris in the race, and the Congressional Black Caucus has followed suit. On Monday, 11 members of the Washington State Legislative Black Caucus joined in, delivering their “enthusiastic” endorsement of Harris, applauding her candidacy as “history-making.”

Harris, if nominated, would become the first Black and South Asian American woman to run at the top of a major party’s ticket for the presidency.

Despite hosting Biden at its July convention, Secrest stated the NAACP will not officially endorse any candidate, but will instead focus on policies, namely police reform, diversity, equity and inclusion programs and violence prevention.

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Secrest still applauded the possibility of a Black woman securing the nomination, saying Harris is “ready” for the role.

“I understand what it’s like for a Black woman to be able to showcase what we can do,” Secrest said. “Kamala Harris is distinguished in all her accomplishments. She’s got a proven history — the experience that shows she is a servant leader. She’s ready.”

“For Black women, we’re saying, ‘it’s about time,'” she added. “We’re celebrating this moment in history.”

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