President Joe Biden is facing mounting pressure from within his own party to step aside from the 2024 presidential race, with concerns growing about his ability to defeat former President Donald Trump. As more Democratic members of Congress call for him to drop out, the pressure on Biden is reaching a fever pitch, even reaching the highest levels of the party.
Since his widely criticized debate performance against Trump, at least 30 Democratic lawmakers have publicly called for him to exit the race. Biden, who remains isolated at his beach house in Delaware after testing positive for COVID-19, insists he can beat Trump and is planning to return to the campaign trail next week. However, many within the party are not convinced.
Among the Democrats expressing concerns about Biden’s chances are former President Barack Obama and Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi. Pelosi has privately told Biden that the party could lose control of the House if he doesn’t step aside. Senator Martin Heinrich of New Mexico has also joined the chorus of calls for Biden to exit the race, making him the third Senate Democrat to do so.
Despite the growing chorus of voices urging him to step aside, Biden and his team remain committed to staying in the race. Campaign officials say Biden is even more determined to win, and senior West Wing aides have not engaged in any internal discussions or conversations with the president about dropping out.
The Democratic National Committee is moving forward with plans to nominate a presidential candidate by August 7th, ahead of the party’s convention later in the month in Chicago. However, the looming possibility of Biden stepping aside casts a shadow over the upcoming convention.
In the meantime, Biden’s health remains a concern. He tested positive for COVID-19 while traveling in Las Vegas earlier this week and is experiencing mild symptoms. Despite the illness, Biden dismissed the idea that it’s too late for him to recover politically, telling Univision’s Luis Sandoval that many people don’t focus on the November election until September.
However, in Congress, Democratic lawmakers are beginning to have private conversations about lining up behind Vice President Kamala Harris as an alternative. Some lawmakers are considering joining the others who have called for Biden to drop out, while others prefer an open process for choosing a new presidential nominee.
The situation is fraught with tension, as Democrats try to balance their concerns about Biden’s ability to win with the need to maintain party unity and present a united front against Trump. The coming days will be pivotal, as Biden and his party grapple with the consequences of the growing pressure for him to exit the race.
