President Joe Biden is facing mounting pressure from fellow Democrats to step down from the race as the November election draws near.
During an appearance on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe,” campaign chair Jen O’Malley Dillon acknowledged that President Biden has seen a decline in support but affirmed his commitment to stay in the race. Concerns have been raised by many Democrats regarding Biden’s age and mental sharpness following the previous month’s presidential debate.
O’Malley Dillon recognized the challenges of recent weeks but maintained that President Biden can still defeat former President Donald Trump in the upcoming election despite lagging in the polls.
“We are confident that we have the right strategy for the competitive election we are facing and we see a way forward,” she stated.
RELATED STORY | A number of congressional Democrats are urging President Biden to withdraw from the presidential race
A memo from the Biden campaign sent to journalists noted that swing voters were not swayed by President Biden’s performance in the debate.
“While voters may bring up President Biden’s age during interactions, our target voters – including reengagement and undecided voters – are still planning to support him, indicating that the debate has not eroded support among the key voters who will determine the outcome of this election,” the memo read.
However, some Democratic lawmakers are expressing greater concerns. Seven members of Congress publicly called for President Biden to withdraw from the race on Friday, bringing the total number of congressional Democrats who have urged him to step down to 27 House Democrats and three Senate Democrats.
Recently, the AP-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research released a survey revealing that 65% of Democrats believe President Biden should drop out of the race. The confidence in President Biden’s mental capacity to serve as president has also declined among Americans, with only 27% currently believing he is mentally capable of being an effective president, compared to 40% in February.
The movement within the Democratic party is gaining financial support. Pass the Torch is set to debut its first TV ad on “Morning Joe” on Monday. The airing of the ad on President Biden’s preferred program is intentional.
While a group of 30 congressional Democrats have called for President Biden to step down, this represents only a fraction of the Democratic lawmakers in Congress. Overall, most congressional Democrats have publicly expressed their support for President Biden, although it may not be unequivocal.
