State lawmakers on Sunday reacted to President Joe Biden’s announcement that he will remove himself from the presidential race.

“President Biden’s decision today ― like all his public service for many decades ― was motivated by his patriotism and deep love for America and its democracy,” U.S. Rep. Joe Courtney, D-2nd District, which covers eastern Connecticut, said in a statement Sunday.

Courtney joined several other Democrats who praised Biden’s decision to step aside as an act of patriotism and dedication to country.

“He knows the risk Donald Trump poses to our democracy, mandating that our number one priority must be defeating Trump this fall,” U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy said. “I know this decision was agonizing for him, but once again, his love of country shines through. A nation turns its grateful eyes to Joe Biden for his world-changing service and his constant selflessness.”

Murphy said this and several other of Biden’s achievements, which included leading the country through the COVID-19 pandemic, rebuilding the economy and creating more jobs than any other first-term president, display how Biden “always put his country first.”

Murphy’s statement mirrored that of Democratic U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, when the two said Biden would go down in history as one of the most effective, and consequential, presidents in the country’s history.

“He was the compassionate, courageous leader our country desperately needed during a time of crisis,” Blumenthal said in his Sunday statement. “Over the last four years, he has overseen the passage of immensely impactful laws that will benefit generations of Americans. Joe is a smart, strategic fighter who always – always – looks out for the little guy. I am incredibly grateful for his lifetime of service and his unwavering, steadfast commitment to the future of our nation.”

Murphy’s and Blumenthal’s statements came just two weeks after the two senators and some other state Democrats had publicly reaffirmed their support for Biden following his CNN debate with former President Donald Trump that raised questions over whether the president was still mentally focused enough to continue the job. The two, in their statements, did not mention a successor.

U.S. Rep. Rosa DeLauro, D-3rd District, meanwhile, joined Courtney in throwing her support behind Vice President Kamala Harris to lead the Democratic Party through the November election and beyond.

In her statement, DeLauro called Biden the most successful president since Franklin D. Roosevelt and a champion of the middle class who spent every day fighting for Americans. She added his decision to step down was “a courageous decision for the good of the country.”

State Senate President Martin Looney, D-New Haven, and Majority Leader Bob Duff, D-Norwalk, also backed Harris, in a joint a joint statement.

“President Biden's selfless decision to step aside and pass the torch to Vice President Harris is indicative of his commitment to public service and dedication to the best interests of the American people,” the statement began.

Attorney General William Tong said he grew up wanting to be like Biden.

"I remember watching Senator Biden in an interview on ‘60 Minutes’ during the 1988 campaign. I was 15 years old. I remember being in awe of his strength, his confidence, and even his swagger – and that's when I started to think I want to be like Joe,” he said.

Tong said now, 36 years later, Biden is still a role model ― strong, confident and dedicated to the peace, prosperity and security of Americans.

“I am grateful for his leadership of our country, and as attorney general, for his partnership in all that we have done together during his incredible presidency,” he added.

State Republican leader cries foul

State GOP Chairman Ben Proto released a statement Sunday in which he said the “Democratic Party is in shambles, and they have no plan to help the average American in Connecticut.”

Proto criticized Biden’s move for being contrary to a fair primary process.

“Instead of allowing a transparent and open primary process,” Proto said, “it appears that the Democrat Party is maneuvering behind the scenes to select a candidate that aligns with the agenda of politicians rather than one that reflects the will of the people.”

He added the fact that Biden had been forced or “strong armed” into stepping down, which shows a “disturbing lack of democratic process within the Democrat Party.”

“In short, Democrat leaders and the Democrat Party, for the first time in American history, have sought to depose a sitting United States president in attempt to protect their own power and position – all at the expense of America and Americans,” he said.

While Proto criticized Biden for record inflation, soaring prices for everyday necessities, unprecedented border crossings and a weakened status for the United States on the international stage, he also thanked him for decades of public service, and wished him happiness and joy in his “forced retirement.”

Proto backed the Republican ticket of Trump and U.S. Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, to “put us back on track, protect our country, make life affordable again and to Make America Great Again.”

d.drainville@theday.com