The re-election campaign of President Biden is facing mounting pressure from within the Democratic Party, fueled by concerns stemming from his performance in the recent debate. This pressure manifests in the form of calls for Biden to step down as the party’s nominee for the 2024 election. Despite internal polling data indicating a close race against former President Trump, the Biden campaign is confronted with significant challenges.
A memo circulated by the Biden campaign on Wednesday aimed to alleviate concerns about his re-election prospects, highlighting internal polls that suggest a competitive race with Trump. The memo, obtained by Fox News, emphasizes the fluidity of polling data, emphasizing the need for a broader perspective beyond short-term fluctuations.
Internal polling data within the campaign, as revealed in the memo, shows a slight decline in Biden’s support after the debate. However, the memo acknowledges that the New York Times/Siena College poll, anticipated to be released soon, may reflect a larger shift in the race. The memo also points out that the New York Times is often an outlier in terms of polling results.
Biden, at the age of 81, is facing the most challenging period of his re-election bid. His faltering delivery and stumbling responses during the debate triggered widespread panic within the Democratic Party, prompting calls for him to relinquish his position as the party’s nominee. These calls have come from political commentators, editorial writers, and some party donors.
In recent days, a small but growing number of House Democrats have also joined the chorus urging Biden to withdraw from the race. However, the Biden campaign has consistently maintained that the president has no intention of stepping aside.
Two national polls conducted after the debate and released on Tuesday revealed concerning findings for Biden. A CNN poll indicated that 75% of voters and 56% of Democratic-aligned voters believe the party would have a better chance of retaining the presidency if Biden were replaced. The survey further suggests that Vice President Kamala Harris would perform marginally better than Biden in a hypothetical matchup with Trump, the presumptive Republican nominee.
Another poll, conducted by USA Today/Suffolk University, indicated Trump leading Biden by six points among registered voters nationwide, a margin that has remained consistent with previous CNN polls since last fall. However, the same poll showed Harris trailing Trump by only two points in a hypothetical matchup.
The release of the campaign memo comes as Biden is scheduled to meet with Democratic governors and congressional leaders. This meeting follows a conference call among Democratic governors on Monday to discuss the fallout from the debate.
Despite acknowledging the president’s shaky performance during the debate, a number of governors, some of whom are viewed as potential replacements in the unlikely event that Biden withdraws, have reaffirmed their commitment to supporting the president.
