President Joe Biden’s re-election campaign isn’t going so well as more Democratic lawmakers are urging him to reconsider his candidacy for the 2024 presidential race.
On Friday, several of them, including Jim Costa of California, Jared Huffman of California, Marc Veasey of Texas, Chuy Garcia of Illinois, and Mark Pocan of Wisconsin, issued a joint statement calling for Biden to “step aside as our nominee.” According to them, they believed that “passing the torch” to a new generation of Democratic leaders would be “the most responsible and patriotic thing” for Biden to do.
Senator Martin Heinrich of New Mexico also advocated for Biden’s withdrawal. On X, Heinrich stated,
“By passing the torch, he would secure his legacy as one of our nation’s greatest leaders and allow us to unite behind a candidate who can best defeat Donald Trump and safeguard the future of our democracy.”
The calls for Biden’s withdrawal come in the wake of his poor debate performance last month and concerns about his age and electability. Reports suggest that even senior Democratic leaders, including Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, have privately expressed reservations about Biden’s candidacy.
However, the President’s campaign remains resolute in going full steam with their current nominee. Campaign chair Jen O’Malley Dillon appeared on MSNBC’s Morning Joe, asserting, “Absolutely, the president’s in this race.” She described Biden as “more committed than ever to beat Donald Trump” and spoke about his qualifications to take on the former president.
Joe Biden himself also released a statement saying, “The stakes are high, and the choice is clear. Together, we will win.” He reaffirmed his intention to continue “exposing the threat” of former President Trump while “making the case” for his own record.
The president is currently under quarantine at his home in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, after testing positive for COVID-19 earlier this week. The White House reports he is experiencing “mild symptoms.”
As the Democratic National Convention approaches in August, time is running out for any potential changes to the party’s nomination. The Democratic National Committee will be meeting virtually in early August to officially nominate Biden as the party’s candidate.
While some prominent Democrats and donors have withdrawn their support, others like the Congressional Hispanic Caucus and the Congressional Black Caucus continue to stand by him.
