Over the past fortnight, a number of congressional Democrats have been calling on President Joe Biden to withdraw from the upcoming presidential race due to concerns about his age and mental sharpness.
Some Democrats have made these calls publicly through op-eds or social media, while others have reportedly conveyed their thoughts privately.
As of early Friday morning, a total of 18 congressional Democrats, including one Senator, have publicly urged President Biden to step aside from the race.
Even after his highly anticipated press conference at the NATO summit in Washington on Thursday, it seems that many anxious members of his party remain unconvinced. Following the press conference, four House Democrats voiced their belief that Biden should withdraw from the 2024 race.
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As of Friday morning, the following Democrats have confirmed that they would support a new Democratic nominee:
- Rep. Lloyd Doggett
- Rep. Raúl Grijalva
- Rep. Seth Moulton
- Rep. Mike Quigley
- Rep. Angie Craig
- Rep. Adam Smith
- Sen. Peter Welch
- Rep. Mikie Sherill
- Rep. Pat Ryan
- Rep. Earl Blumenauer
- Rep. Hillary Scholten
- Rep. Brad Schneider
- Rep. Ed Case
- Rep. Greg Stanton
- Rep. Jim Himes
- Rep. Scott Peters
- Rep. Eric Sorensen
- Rep. Brittany Pettersen
Additionally, Rep. Mark Takano has informed colleagues that he believes President Biden should withdraw from the ticket, as confirmed by Scripps News.
What are they saying?
While many of the mentioned Democrats have praised President Biden’s legislative accomplishments, they believe that his recent debate performance indicates that he may not be in his prime anymore.
Doggett was the first Democrat to suggest that Biden should step aside.
“I represent a congressional district once held by Lyndon Johnson. Under different circumstances, he decided to withdraw. President Biden should do the same,” Doggett said. “While his work has been transformative, he promised to be transitional. He has the chance to inspire a new generation of leaders to unite the country through a democratic process.”
The last time a sitting president eligible for re-election chose not to run was in 1968 when President Lyndon B. Johnson stepped aside. Democrats then nominated Hubert Humphrey, who lost to Richard Nixon.
Many offering cautious support for Biden
The 19 Democrats mentioned are only a fraction of the Democratic lawmakers in Congress. Overall, congressional Democrats have publicly expressed support for President Biden, though not without reservations.
For instance, former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi recently stated her backing for Biden as long as he stays in the race.
“As long as the president – it’s up to the president to decide if he is going to run,” she said. We are all encouraging him to make that decision because time is running short.”
Pelosi, who remains in the House after stepping down from her leadership positions, also addressed whether Biden has the support of most Democrats.
“I think the overwhelming support of the caucus, it’s not for me to say as I am not the head of the caucus anymore. But he’s beloved, he’s respected and people want him to make that decision,” Pelosi said. “I want him to do whatever he decides to do and that’s the way it is. Whatever way he decides, we go with.”
House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries revealed that he raised concerns from caucus members with President Biden in a private meeting on Thursday.
“On behalf of the House Democratic Caucus, I requested and was graciously granted a private meeting with President Joe Biden. That meeting occurred yesterday evening. In my conversation with President Biden, I directly expressed the full breadth of insight, heartfelt perspectives and conclusions about the path forward that the Caucus has shared in our recent time together,” Jeffries said in a letter to colleagues.
Why it’s up to Biden
At this point, the decision rests on President Biden. He amassed a majority of pledged delegates during the Democratic primaries, leaving little room for opposition from candidates like Rep. Dean Phillips and author Marianne Williamson.
With most delegates at the upcoming Democratic National Convention aligned with President Biden, his renomination is almost guaranteed unless he chooses to withdraw from the race.
Scripps News congressional correspondent Nathaniel Reed and Scripps News producer Sam Lisker contributed to this report.
