San Diego County Politicians React To Biden, Harris Inauguration

San Diego County Politicians React To Biden, Harris Inauguration

By Lara McCaffrey

January 20th, 2021

Some of San Diego County’s political leaders released statements Wednesday in reaction to the inauguration.

Congressman Darrell Issa, R-50, said he “welcomed (Biden’s) words of unity.”:

“Every Inauguration Day is a celebration of our enduring democracy — and today continues that uniquely American tradition. I have known President Biden for more than 20 years, I welcome his words of unity, and the country stands to benefit if he keeps the promises he made during the campaign to bring us together. Today is also a time to pray for our nation and its success. May God continue to bless America.”

Fellow Congressman Scott Peters, D-52, expressed his confidence in the new administration’s leadership:

“I have the greatest confidence that President Biden and Vice President Harris will guide our country forward with courage, respect and conviction. They will navigate our country out of this pandemic, tackle the climate crisis and restore American leadership abroad. Now is the time for unity, and I look forward to working with the White House and anyone, regardless of political party or title, to solve problems and create a more equitable and prosperous future for all Americans.”

Rep. Mike Levin, D-49, called it “an extraordinary honor” to attend the inauguration.

“After four painstaking years, we now have leaders in the White House who will serve all Americans with dignity, honor and respect,” Levin said. “President Biden will seek to unite and heal our country, which is in mourning from a pandemic that has taken the lives of more than 400,000 Americans and an attack on our democracy that tested our nation.”

Rep. Juan Vargas, D-51, said Biden “will work for all Americans, no matter where they came from, what they look like, or who they love. I trust that the new administration will do everything in their power to guide us to be more united and put America first.”

Vargas, who attended the inauguration with his youngest daughter, called Harris’ historic inauguration as the first female, black and South Asian vice president “a historic win for girls and women of color, who will finally see themselves represented in the White House.”

San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria said the city “is read to stand with this new administration.”:

“Today, I am filled with a renewed sense of hope and optimism for the future of our country under the leadership of President Joe Biden and, my friend, Vice President Kamala Harris. Together, I know they will provide compassionate leadership and a steady hand to navigate the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, economic uncertainty, climate change and the fight for racial justice.

“San Diego is ready to stand with this new administration as true partners as we rebuild our nation. Now it is time for all of us to come together, heal and move forward.”

The state’s youngest congressional representative, Rep. Sarah Jacobs, D-53, spoke of being proud of Harris’ rise to the vice presidency.

“As a Californian and a young woman, I was incredibly proud to watch Kamala Harris become the first woman Vice President, first Black Vice President, and first Asian American Vice President. As a young woman growing up, it was so meaningful for me to see women in positions of leadership across San Diego and California, and I’m so excited that kids across this country will now be able to see themselves represented in leadership.”

The representatives also offered positive reactions to Biden’s flurry of Day One executive orders, which reversed many of his predecessor’s actions.

Peters said Biden’s order to rejoin the Paris Agreement showed “our country begins the process of making up lost time in leading the world on climate action. It’s the first of many steps we must take to fight global warming and renew global cooperation to confront the climate crisis.”

Gloria said rejoining the Paris Agreement is one of several steps “critical to combating climate change and ensuring a safe and clean future for our children and grandchildren.”

He also said Biden’s executive orders “set the tone that the United States will build back better. From revoking many of the past administration’s harmful executive orders to tackling COVID-19 head-on, President Biden is sending a strong message that our nation will continue the march of progress toward an America that lives up to its promise of equitable opportunity for all of us.”