Following President Biden’s widely criticized debate performance against former President Donald Trump, a number of House Democratic leaders are reportedly urging him to suspend his presidential campaign. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) facilitated a Zoom meeting with ranking members of U.S. House committees on Sunday to strategize and discuss the future steps in light of the debate’s fallout.
While Democratic governors have shown support for President Biden following a recent White House meeting, the sentiment among House Democratic leaders appears less supportive. According to a report by Axios, five Democrat committee leaders recommended that Biden suspend his re-election campaign, reflecting concerns within the party’s congressional faction about the viability of his campaign following his debate.
According to insiders familiar with a recent strategic call among House Democrats, U.S. Representatives Jerry Nadler and Joe Morelle from New York, Adam Smith from Washington, and Mark Takano from California have explicitly called for President Biden to be removed from the Democratic ticket. A report from Politico adds that other members such as Jim Himes of Connecticut, Zoe Lofgren and Don Beyer of California, and Rick Larsen of Washington have also expressed concerns about Biden’s capability to continue his campaign.
Concerns within the Democratic Party have intensified following President Biden’s interview with ABC, which was intended to alleviate doubts about his physical and mental fitness but instead may have deepened anxieties among strategists, donors, and lawmakers. While not all are calling for his resignation, significant criticism is emerging from within his own party. For instance, Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA), who is currently running for Senate, voiced on “Meet The Press” that there is considerable concern among Democrats about the potential negative impact Biden could have on other candidates in the upcoming elections if he remains on the ticket.
“At present, our down-ballot candidates in the Senate and House are doing well,” Schiff continued, pointing to polls showing Democrats outperforming Biden in a number of key Senate races. “They are running well ahead of the President, but you can only run so far ahead of the President.”
According to a Democratic Party insider speaking to Axios, there is an expectation that efforts to persuade President Biden to step aside will intensify when Congress reconvenes in Washington on Monday. An anonymous Democratic lawmaker predicted, “The sh*t is going to hit the fan on Monday when Congress returns.”
First Lady Jill Biden is reportedly very upset with those pressuring Joe Biden to withdraw from his re-election campaign after his challenging debate performance against former President Donald Trump last week. According to ABC News host Martha Raddatz, sources within the White House have indicated that President Biden’s close inner circle continues to support his campaign, asserting that he can win as long as he persists. “This, of course, includes his wife Jill, who they said is lashing out at those who want him to get out of the race,” she added.
According to reports, Biden’s family is taking steps to strengthen their control over his campaign and administration. The move is aimed at sidelining those within the ranks who have been leaking information to the media and allegedly attempting to undermine the president in the run-up to the party’s convention. “The debate fiasco has opened up a lane for the family to surpass staff and start helping out their father and brother who they love dearly,” a source close to the family told NBC News. Jill and Hunter Biden are said to be the main driving force keeping the president from dropping out of the presidential race.
“I believe the family has witnessed blunder after blunder by key staff personnel, and the debate is likely the straw that broke the camel’s back,” the source told NBC News. “Post-debate, the supposed loyal staff, instead of taking responsibility, pointed the finger back at the president and said: ‘His fault.’ I can think of no other singular action that would agitate the Biden family more.”