Why Young Republicans Are Thanking Joe Biden

A personal reflection on how President Biden bridged divides and inspired a generation of young Republicans.

Joe Biden’s friendships across the aisle and his commitment to unity inspires a new generation of civic leaders

I've been thinking a lot about where we've been and where we're headed as a country. And honestly, I keep coming back to one thing: we owe a massive thank you to President Joe Biden.

My generation has only known political chaos

I’m part of a generation that came of age politically in a time of chaos. Trump won the GOP nomination my junior year of college. For many of us—especially those of us who identify as center-right or Republicans—this past decade has been tough to find a political home. Our party has been going through an identity crisis. It’s been hard to reconcile what we’ve believed in for so long with what’s been happening on the national stage. We’ve watched as our party has moved away from the principles that drew us in, and we’ve felt increasingly uncomfortable with the direction things have taken.

In the midst of all this, President Biden stepped up and gave us something our party did not: a political role model for civility, courage, unity, and moral leadership. It wasn’t that we suddenly agreed with every Democratic policy—far from it. But Biden showed us that you can lead with decency, that you can put the country first, and that you can still reach across the aisle and get things done. That kind of leadership, the kind that’s focused on healing and unity, gave a lot of us a place (the broad pro-democracy coalition) to feel politically comfortable when we didn’t feel we belonged in our own party.

Biden showed us unity can deliver

Think about it—when was the last time we saw a president work so hard to bring people together, regardless of party lines? The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the CHIPS Act, all those efforts to actually solve problems instead of just pointing fingers—those were huge. They showed that our civic institutions can work, and that even in this hyper-partisan climate, it’s still possible to get things done that benefit all Americans.

For so many of us, Biden’s presidency was a breath of fresh air. He didn’t shy away from the hard stuff—he tackled it head-on, with empathy and with a genuine desire to make things better for everyone, not just his base. That’s the kind of leadership that’s been missing, and it’s the kind that has inspired a lot of young Republicans like me to rethink what we want in our leaders.

Not going back to MAGA

Now, as we look toward the future, it’s clear that Kamala Harris is ready to take up that mantle. She’s committed to continuing the work of bridging divides, of fighting for democracy, and of making sure that America stays a place where everyone has a shot. And for Democracy Republicans like me who’ve felt politically homeless these past few years, that’s huge.

The Republicans for Harris campaign within a campaign isn’t about agreeing on every policy issue. It’s about recognizing that right now, the most important thing is to protect our democracy and to keep moving forward together to defeat Donald Trump. We still hope that the GOP will find its way back to a healthier place, but in the meantime, it’s comforting to know there’s a leader like Harris who’s welcoming us in to the pro-democracy coalition.

Thank you, Joe

So, President Biden, thank you. Thank you for your service, for your leadership, and for showing my generation a politics of unity that gets results. You’ve shown us that there’s still a way to lead with love for our country, and for that, we’re grateful.

Now, as Harris picks up the torch, we’re ready to keep fighting for that vision of America that you’ve helped shape.