President Joe Biden vowed on Friday to continue his reelection campaign amidst mounting calls from fellow Democrats to end his bid, fearing the potential repercussions for the party in the upcoming Nov. 5 election. This announcement comes as seven more Democratic members of Congress joined the chorus urging the 81-year-old incumbent to step aside.
Biden, who is currently isolating at his Delaware home with a case of COVID-19, remains defiant. Despite the calls for his withdrawal, he expressed his determination to return to the campaign trail soon. “I look forward to getting back on the campaign trail next week to continue exposing the threat of Donald Trump’s Project 2025 agenda while making the case for my own record and the vision that I have for America,” Biden said in a statement, referring to a policy plan developed by Trump’s conservative allies.
The Democratic Party appears to be deeply divided, contrasting sharply with the unified front displayed by the Republicans at their National Convention in Milwaukee. At the convention, former party rivals rallied around Donald Trump, who accepted the Republican nomination in a speech characterized by his trademark mix of grievance and bombast.
Currently, 30 out of the 264 Democrats in Congress have publicly called for Biden to end his campaign. Additionally, other senior Democratic leaders are reportedly pushing him behind the scenes to do the same. “We must face the reality that widespread public concerns about your age and fitness are jeopardizing what should be a winning campaign,” Representatives Jared Huffman, Marc Veasey, Chuy Garcia, and Marc Pocan wrote in a letter on Friday.
Three other Democratic lawmakers, Senator Martin Heinrich and Representatives Zoe Lofgren and Greg Landsman, also separately called on Biden to step down. The growing concern among Democrats is the potential for a Republican sweep in the November election, which could not only place Trump back in the White House but also give Republicans majorities in both chambers of Congress.
Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is among those who have reportedly advised Biden that he cannot win in November. Despite weeks of asserting his intention to remain in the race, sources indicate that Biden is now seriously considering the calls for his withdrawal, with multiple Democratic officials believing that his exit is imminent.
Biden’s campaign chairwoman, Jen O’Malley Dillon, acknowledged the challenging path ahead but emphasized that Biden’s support has not significantly declined in recent weeks. “We have a lot of work to do to make sure that we are reassuring the American people that, yes, he’s old, but he can do the job and he can win,” she said on MSNBC.
While a Reuters/Ipsos poll earlier this week found Biden and Trump effectively tied, strategists from both parties agree that Biden’s path to victory is narrowing, especially as he trails in most battleground states crucial for the election.
Should Biden step aside, Vice President Kamala Harris, 59, could step into the role. Polling indicates that Harris might perform marginally better against Trump in a head-to-head matchup.
As the November election approaches, the Democratic Party faces a critical decision: rally behind their incumbent president or pivot to a new candidate who might have a better chance of securing victory against a resurgent Trump. The coming weeks will undoubtedly shape the future of the party and the direction of the nation.
