President Biden’s catastrophic performance at the recent presidential debate has sparked panic among the Democratic Party’s hierarchy, with key players said to be mulling how to get him to abandon his re-election bid.
The situation has plunged the party into crisis and threatens to drive a wedge between Biden loyalists and elected officials in swing districts ahead of next month’s Democratic National Convention in Chicago.
Biden’s top campaign aides have been working damage control with major donors, while the White House – and Biden himself – remain adamant he is the right man to lead the party against former President Trump, the presumptive GOP nominee.
Democrats who say Biden should drop out
Rep. Pat Ryan, D-N.Y.: The moderate front-liner and one of the Democrats’ most vulnerable incumbents reportedly said in an interview with the New York Times on July 10 that he would ‘be doing a grave disservice if I said [Biden] was the best candidate to serve this fall.’ Ryan added, ‘For the good of our country, for my two young kids, I’m asking Joe Biden to step aside in the upcoming election and deliver on the promise to be a bridge to a new generation of leaders.’
Rep. Lloyd Doggett, D-Texas: ‘I am hopeful that he will make the painful and difficult decision to withdraw. I respectfully call on him to do so.’
Rep. Raúl Grijalva, D-Ariz.: ‘I’m going to support [Biden], but I think that this is an opportunity to look elsewhere. … What he needs to do is shoulder the responsibility of keeping that seat, and part of that responsibility is to get out of this race.’
Rep. Seth Moulton, D-Mass: ‘President Biden has done enormous service to our country, but now is the time for him to follow in one of our founding father George Washington’s footsteps and step aside to let new leaders rise up and run against Donald Trump.’
Rep. Mike Quigley, D-Ill.: ‘Mr. President, your legacy is set. We owe you the greatest debt of gratitude. The only thing that you can do now to cement that for all time and prevent utter catastrophe is to step down and let someone else do this.’
Rep. Angie Craig, D-Minn.: ‘As an elected leader, I feel a responsibility to be honest about what I believe, even when it’s hard to hear. President Biden is a good man and I appreciate his lifetime of service. But I believe he should step aside for the next generation of leadership. The stakes are too high.’
Rep. Adam Smith, D-Wash.: ‘And he has health care concerns. You saw that at the White House press conference today, where there were not clear answers given. So I just think at, this point, there are other people that could deliver that message better. And the stakes are so high.’
Rep. Mikie Sherrill, D-N.J.: ‘I realize this is hard, but we have done hard things in the pursuit of democracy since the founding of this nation. It is time to do so again. And because I know President Biden cares deeply about the future of our country, I am asking that he declare that he won’t run for reelection and will help lead us through a process toward a new nominee.’
Reps. Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y.; Mark Takano, D-Calif.; Don Beyer, D-Va., reportedly expressed during a virtual meeting hosted by House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries on July 7 that Biden should exit the presidential race as the Democratic nominee on Sunday, and most of them said Harris should be the nominee, according to reporting by the Associated Press. Beyer later released a statement saying he supports Biden.
Adam Frisch, candidate for Colorado’s 3rd Congressional District: ‘I thank President Biden for his years of service, but the path ahead requires a new generation of leadership to take our country forward.’
Sen. Peter Welch, D-Vt.: ‘We cannot unsee President Biden’s disastrous debate performance. We cannot ignore or dismiss the valid questions raised since that night. I understand why President Biden wants to run. He saved us from Donald Trump once and wants to do it again. But he needs to reassess whether he is the best candidate to do so. In my view, he is not. For the good of the country, I’m calling on President Biden to withdraw from the race.’
Rep. Earl Blumenauer, D-Ore.: ‘While this is a decision for the president and the first lady, I hope they will come to the conclusion that I and others have: President Biden should not be the Democratic presidential nominee. It is a painful and difficult conclusion but there is no question in my mind that we will all be better served if the president steps aside as the Democratic nominee and manages a transition under his terms. He has earned that right.’
Rep. Hillary Scholten, D-Mich.: ‘President Biden has served his country well, but for the sake of our democracy, he must pass the torch to a new candidate for the 2024 election.’
Rep. Brad Schneider, D-Ill.: ‘ In passing the torch now, President Biden has a chance to live up to this standard and seal his place in history as one of the greatest leaders our nation, and history, has ever known. He can lead the transition of power to a new generation that can build a stronger party and a stronger nation. I fear if he fails to make the right choice, our democracy will hang in the balance.’
Rep. Greg Stanton, D-Ariz.: ‘I was one of President Biden’s earliest supporters in 2020, and I’m proud of the progress we’ve made for Arizona. However the stakes in this election could not be higher. For our country’s sake, it is time for the President to pass the torch to a new generation of leaders.’
Rep. Ed Case, D-Hawaii: ‘Difficult times and realities require difficult decisions. This is one of those times, realities and decisions. My guidepost is what is the best way forward for our country. I do not believe President Biden should continue his candidacy for re-election as President.’
Rep. Jim Himes, D-Conn.: ‘The 2024 election will define the future of American democracy, and we must put forth the strongest candidate possible to confront the threat posed by Trump’s promised MAGA authoritarianism. I no longer believe that is Joe Biden, and I hope that, as he has throughout a lifetime of public service, he will continue to put our nation first and, as he promised, make way for a new generation of leaders.’
Rep. Scott Peters, D-Calif.: ‘We must find a candidate from our deep bench of talent who can defeat Donald Trump … I hope all Democrats will join me in putting the country first, preserving the progress of the past four years, and solidifying Joe Biden’s legacy as one of the great leaders of our time — by defeating Donald Trump.’
Rep. Eric Sorensen, D-Ill.: ‘Every day, I remain committed to the people of Central and Northwestern Illinois. I believe our best days are still ahead. And today, I am hopeful President Biden will step aside in his campaign for president.’
Rep. Brittany Pettersen, D-Colo.: ‘Joe Biden saved our country once, and I’m joining the growing number of people in my district and across the country to ask him to do it again. Please pass the torch to one of our many capable Democratic leaders so we have the best chance to defeat Donald Trump, who is the greatest threat to the foundation of this country that we have ever faced.’
Rep. Mike Levin, D-Calif.: ‘I have deep respect for President Biden’s five plus decades of public service and incredible appreciation for the work we’ve done together these last three and a half years. But I believe the time has come for President Biden to pass the torch.’
Sen. Martin Heinrich, D-N.M.: ‘While the decision to withdraw from the campaign is President Biden’s alone, I believe it is in the best interests of our country for him to step aside.’
Rep. Sean Casten, D-Ill.: ‘It’s time for Joe Biden to pass the torch.’
Reps. Jared Huffman, D-Calif., Marc Veasey, D-Texas, Chuy Garcia, D-Ill. and Marc Pocan, D-Wisc.: ‘Mr. President, with great admiration for you personally, sincere respect for your decades of public service and patriotic leadership, and deep appreciation for everything we have accomplished together during your presidency, it is now time for you to pass the torch to a new generation of Democratic leaders.’
Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont.: ‘Montanans have put their trust in me to do what is right, and it is a responsibility I take seriously. I have worked with President Biden when it has made Montana stronger, and I’ve never been afraid to stand up to him when he is wrong. And while I appreciate his commitment to public service and our country, I believe President Biden should not seek re-election to another term.’
Democrats who have raised concerns
Former House Speaker Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif.: ‘I think it’s a legitimate question to say, ‘Is this an episode or is this a condition?’ When people ask that question, it’s completely legitimate of both candidates.’
Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Pérez, D-Wash.: ‘About 50 million Americans tuned in and watched that debate. I was one of them for about five very painful minutes. We all saw what we saw, you can’t undo that, and the truth, I think, is that Biden is going to lose to Trump.’
Rep. Jared Golden, D-Maine: ‘In 2025, I believe Trump is going to be in the White House. Maine’s representatives will need to work with him when it benefits Mainers, hold him accountable when it does not and work independently across the aisle no matter what.’
Rep. Summer Lee, D-Pa.: ‘Maybe folks don’t want to hear, but we have timing that is running out. Time is not on our side. We have a few months to do a monumental task. It’s not cheap and it’s not easy. If our president decides this is not a pathway forward for him, we have to move very quickly. There’s not going to be time for a primary. That time is past. The vice president is the obvious choice. She’s sitting right there.’
Rep. James Clyburn, D-S.C.: ‘I do know this: I think that the American people want an explanation; they need to be reassured, and I hope that over the next several days, we’ll do that.’
Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I.: ‘I think like a lot of people, I was pretty horrified by the debate. … I think people want to make sure that this is a campaign that’s ready to go and win, that the president and his team are being candid with us about his condition, that this was a real anomaly and not just the way he is these days.’
Gov. Maura Healey, D-Mass.: ‘President Biden saved our democracy in 2020 and has done an outstanding job over the last four years. I am deeply grateful for his leadership. And I know he agrees this is the most important election of our lifetimes … the best way forward right now is a decision for the president to make. Over the coming days, I urge him to listen to the American people and carefully evaluate whether he remains our best hope to defeat Donald Trump.’
Rep. Susan Wild, D-Pa.: ‘In a confidential conversation with other members of House Democratic leadership, I expressed the same concerns that Americans across the country are grappling with, about President Biden’s electability at the top of the ticket.’
Sen. Michael Bennet, D-Colo.: ‘We’re all here this week to have this discussion, to have this debate. I’m sure President Biden has a different view of his prospects in this election than I do. But we should be having a discussion about that … in the time since that disastrous debate, I think [the Biden administration] has done nothing to really demonstrate that they have a plan to win this election, that they have a convincing plan to win in the battleground states where we have to win in order to win this election.’
Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif.: ‘The performance on the debate stage I think rightfully raised questions among the American people about whether the president has the vigor to defeat Donald Trump. And this is an existential risk.’
Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif.: ‘I expect complete transparency from the White House about this issue and a willingness to answer many legitimate questions from the media and voters about his capabilities.’
Rep. Gerry Connolly, D-Va.: When asked on July 5 if President Biden still gives his party the best chance to win in November, he said, ‘I don’t think we know that yet.’
Rep. Chris Pappas, D-N.H.: ‘People are disappointed with what they saw last week. And I think it’s up to President Biden to answer what kind of path he can be on for the future: to restore confidence or to pass the torch.’
Rep. Jared Huffman, D-Calif.: ‘We need a course correction. We’ve got to acknowledge that this was not just one bad night.’
Rep. Debbie Dingell, D-Mich.: ‘President Biden has got to go out there, and in a sustained basis, show he has the stamina and can do the job.’
Rep. Katie Porter, D-Calif.: ‘This White House is going to have to be way less insular than they have been.’
Rep. Scott Peters, D-Calif.: ‘The question just now is: Is this a candidate who can win the election? Because as much as I love Joe Biden, in those swing states, he’s having a hard time.’
Rep. Ann McLane Kuster, D-N.H.: ‘In order to respond to our constituents’ concerns, we need to demonstrate that the president is fit not just for the job but for the campaign.’
Rep. Don Davis, D-N.C.: ‘If he is going to stay in, he needs to step up.’
Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md.: ‘We’re having a serious conversation about what to do.’
Colorado Gov. Jared Polis: ‘When you’re down a few points, something needs to change. So, whether that’s the strategy, whether that’s the message, whether that’s the candidate. Look, I think we’re open to all those possibilities.’
Democrats who support Biden as nominee
Twenty-three Democratic governors from across the nation descended on the White House last Wednesday evening to meet with the embattled president, but after the gathering, only Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, who leads the Democratic Governors Association, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul and Maryland Gov. Wes Moore spoke to reporters to express their support.
Moore described the meeting with Biden as ‘honest’ and ‘candid’ and said the governors were ‘going to have his back.’
Hochul said Biden was ‘in it to win it’ and that the trio had pledged their support to him ‘because the stakes could not be higher,’ invoking on the eve of Independence Day the fight against tyranny.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom, who many commentators have proposed as a possible Biden replacement, also took part in the White House meeting and backed the 81-year-old.
‘I heard three words from the President tonight – he’s all in. And so am I,’ Newsom posted on X on July 3. Newsom also publicly backed Biden immediately after the debate.
‘You don’t turn your back because of one performance,’ Newsom said after the debate. ‘What kind of party does that? This president has delivered. We need to deliver for him at this moment.’
Illinois Gov. J. B. Pritzker has also publicly backed Biden, as has Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs and Hawaii Gov. Josh Green.
Elsewhere, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., a longtime Biden ally, has also expressed his support, as well as House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y.
‘A setback is nothing more than a setup for a comeback,’ Jeffries has posted to X.
As for Democrat senators, Alex Padilla of California has said, ‘Joe Biden is going to be our Democratic nominee,’ while Catherine Cortez Masto of Nevada said Biden has ‘always had Nevadans’ backs, whether it’s on the picket lines, protecting our personal freedoms or lowering costs. Now it’s time for us to have his.’
Rep. Al Green of Texas has said ‘I think that we need to move forward with Biden.’
‘Any ‘leader’ calling for President Biden to drop out needs to get their priorities straight and stop undermining this incredible actual leader who has delivered real results for our country,’ adds Rep. Frederica Wilson, D-Fla.
Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Calif., said, ‘I don’t care what anybody says; it ain’t going to be no other Democratic candidate.’ And Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., has said, ‘I’ll do my best to get him elected.’
Fox News’ Kyle Morris, Alicia Acuna and Greg Norman contributed to this report.
This is a developing story and will be updated.