US President Joe Biden’s base of support among key Democrats on Capitol Hill has begun to crumble, as several senior members of Democratic party have privately urged him to step aside and allow another candidate to run in the November election.
This comes as Biden faces mounting pressure from within his own party over concerns about his age, health, and ability to lead the Democratic ticket in the upcoming election.
During a private virtual meeting, a half-dozen top House Democrats urged the President to withdraw from the presidential race.
The meeting, convened by Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., the minority leader, included senior members of powerful committees, such as Reps. Jerry Nadler of New York, the top Democrat on the Judiciary Committee; Adam Smith of Washington, the ranking member of the Armed Services Committee; Mark Takano of California, the ranking Democrat on the Veterans Affairs Committee; and Joe Morelle of New York, the top Democrat on the Committee on House Administration; who all expressed support for Biden’s withdrawal.
Rep. Jim Himes of Connectucut, the ranking Democrat on the Intelligence Committee, also expressed uncertainty about Biden’s path forward, while Rep. Susan Wild of Pennsylvania, the ranking member of the Ethics Committee, stated that she had “expressed concerns that Americans across the country are grappling with, about President Biden’s electability.”
“It is not helpful to the country for this difficult process to play out amidst leaks and rumors. The Democratic Caucus in Congress is a very diverse group, and there are many opinions about what should next happen.
“For that reason, I’ve always felt it important that people are able to speak their minds in a confidential setting, so that we can all benefit from what others are thinking.
“In the coming days and weeks, I will operate as I always have, continuing to have these important conversations while keeping the best interests of my constituents at the forefront of every decision and statement I make,” Wild said.
Although some Democrats, such as Reps. Don Beyer of Virginia and Richard Neal of Massachusetts, the top Democrat on the Ways and Means Committee, have publicly expressed support for Biden, the private concerns about his candidacy have only grown.
“I support the Biden-Harris ticket, and look forward to helping defeat Donald Trump in November.
“I was proud to host an event this week in Northern Virginia with the President, and will continue doing all I can to support the Biden-Harris campaign in Virginia and across the country,” Beyer said.
Rep. Richard said in a statement: “The bottom line is President Biden beat Trump in 2020, and now, bolstered by his historic record of success, he’ll do it again in November. Trump is a lying, convicted felon who has only ever been out for himself, and the American people know that. As I shared earlier, Republicans are the biggest threat to the health of our democracy, our economy, and the people, and the President knows what’s at stake. I’m with him all the way, fighting like hell to defeat those threats.”
Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., also expressed concerns about Biden’s fitness to run, stating that the president’s recent interview fell short of alleviating concerns about his condition.
Murphy added that Biden needs to do more to convince voters he is fit to run for and win reelection.
“Voters do have questions. Personally, I love Joe Biden, and I don’t know that the interview on Friday night did enough to answer those questions. This week is going to be absolutely critical. I think the president needs to do more,” Murphy said on CNN’s “State of the Union.”
The drumbeat of opposition against Biden continuing as the party’s nominee has grown louder, with five rank-and-file House Democrats already calling for him to step aside.
Anxiety is also building among senators, who are increasingly concerned about Biden’s ability to serve as the party’s nominee.
While no Democratic congressional leader has yet publicly called on Biden to step aside, the private meeting and public statements suggest a growing movement within the party to replace Biden as the nominee.