Ottawa residents watching U.S. election race developments closely

It is the most talked about story in the world right now and the Ottawa chapter of Democrats Abroad is watching closely.

"There [are] so many unanswered questions. And it's honestly really exciting and really energetic," said David Schellenberg, the organization's co-chair for Canada's capital region.

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Schellenberg said it's clear that debates matter, following Joe Biden's announcement that he will not be seeking re-election in the U.S. presidential race.

"We often say does it actually matter what happens at the end of it? Is there ever a key moment that happens? And what we clearly saw with this debate was, yes, debates actually matter. Things can go right, things can go wrong. It was clear that Biden had a tough time with the debate."

In Ottawa, many residents said they were not surprised by Biden's decision.

"Dialog in that country has gone a little haywire and fresh blood is just necessary," said Dean Watson. "It's like the greatest show never written, right?"

Vice President Kamala Harris is the presumed frontrunner and has received several high-profile endorsements to become the Democratic party's nominee.

"I think would be a good choice," said Samantha Ferreira. "However, I don't know her coming this late, how will that affect the results of everything. Because they are quite advanced, I think, in their campaigns."

"I think she'll be fine," said John Curtis. "I don't think she's quite as strong as we'd like. She's not the ideal candidate, but she's a good enough candidate to give the Republican nominee and his vice president a good run for their money."

Ontario Premier Doug Ford also addressed Biden bowing out of the race. Ford thanked Biden for his decades of service but said he felt "sorry for him" during the debate.