Some elected Democrats loyal to President Joe Biden raised new concerns on Tuesday about his 2024 re-election bid, with one calling for him to step aside. This marks a shift after many defended him following last week’s shaky debate performance.
While Democrats and political strategists agree that the decision to continue his 2024 bid is Biden’s, pressure is mounting. Some donors are urging him to step aside, and other Democrats are openly questioning his ability to beat Trump in November.
According to a House Democratic aide, 25 Democratic House members are preparing to call for Biden to step aside if he appears shaky in the coming days. Another aide reported that moderate House Democrats in competitive districts, known as “frontliners,” are facing intense questioning from their constituents this week.
U.S. Representative Lloyd Doggett became the first congressional Democrat to call for Biden’s withdrawal from the race on Tuesday. In an NBC News interview, he expressed hope that other Democratic lawmakers would follow his lead. “It looks like the dam has broken,” the second aide said.
Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi highlighted Biden’s legislative achievements in an MSNBC interview on Tuesday but acknowledged it was legitimate to question whether his debate performance was an isolated incident or indicative of a broader health issue. She suggested Trump should face similar scrutiny. “It’s a legitimate question to say, ‘Is this an episode or is this a condition?’ And so when people ask that question, it’s legitimate, of both candidates,” Pelosi said.
Following the debate, Pelosi had initially shown strong support for Biden, stating, “Joe Biden’s decision to go forward is a decision that we will all embrace because of the record he has and the performance that will come with it.”
White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre stated on Tuesday that Biden did not have an “episode,” but simply a bad night. Vice President Kamala Harris, in a CBS News interview, reinforced Biden’s candidacy, saying, “Look, Joe Biden is our nominee. We beat Trump once and we’re gonna beat him. Period.”
At a campaign event in Virginia on Tuesday evening, Biden attributed his debate performance to a lack of sleep, explaining that he had traveled extensively before the debate. “The fact is that you know, I wasn’t very smart. I decided to travel around the world a couple times, going through around 100 time zones … before … the debate. Didn’t listen to my staff and came back and nearly fell asleep on stage,” he said. “That’s no excuse but it is an explanation.”
Some Democrats believe Biden should consider the broader party’s future. “He has to be honest with himself,” said Democratic Representative Mike Quigley of Illinois. “It’s his decision. I just want him to appreciate at this time just how much it impacts, not just his race, but all the other races coming in November.”
U.S. Representative Jim Clyburn, credited with securing Biden’s nomination in 2020, told MSNBC on Tuesday he would support Vice President Kamala Harris as the Democratic nominee if Biden steps aside.
Representatives Jared Golden of Maine and Marie Gluesenkamp Perez of Washington state predicted on Tuesday that Trump would win the election. In response, Biden and his campaign are working to bolster support, including a planned meeting with Democratic governors and upcoming talks with lawmakers.
One House Democratic aide expressed disappointment over the lack of outreach so far. Doggett told NBC News he had requested a personal conversation with Biden about his call for him to drop out but had not received a response.
Biden’s campaign faced tough questions from key funders over the weekend regarding his plans to stay in the race. When asked why Biden had not done more media interviews or press conferences since the debate, Jean-Pierre cited his visit to a Waffle House in Atlanta and interactions with supporters.
Biden is scheduled to do an interview with ABC this week and hold a news conference at the NATO summit next week. A Democratic Hill aide said much hinges on the ABC interview, as lawmakers want to see Biden handle rapid-fire questions rather than just orchestrated appearances.
Meanwhile, Biden’s campaign reported raising $264 million in the second quarter, including $127 million in June and a record grassroots fundraising haul on the day of the debate.