Top Democrats are casting doubt on President Biden’s statements that he intends to seek re-election in November and defy calls to drop out of the presidential race.
Biden has stated several times since his damaging debate performance last month that he will not drop out of the race. However, prominent House and Senate Democrats have since made comments that suggest his candidacy may still be up in the air.
Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., insinuated that there is still a decision to be made on whether Biden will seek re-election, despite the president already stating on several occasions that he is staying in the race.
“It’s up to the president to decide if he is going to run. We are all encouraging him to make that decision because time is running short,” Pelosi told MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” on Wednesday. “He’s beloved, he’s respected, and people want him to make that decision.”
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Asked about Biden already making it clear he intends to run, Pelosi again suggested that there is a still a decision to be made.
“I want him to do whatever he decides to do, and that’s the way it is. Whatever he decides, we go with,” Pelosi said.
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Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., echoed Pelosi’s comments.
“I think he will continue to make his case to the American people, and he is the one who will decide. There are advisers and supporters who may give him the kind of guidance that he is looking for. But I think, ultimately, it’s his decision to make. I think that this kind of internal debate will end at some point. The question is when,” Blumenthal told reporters Thursday.
Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wa., also released a statement, saying Biden needs to “seriously consider” his political future despite the president’s public declarations that he will continue seeking re-election.
“At this critical time for our country, President Biden must seriously consider the best way to preserve his incredible legacy and secure it for the future,” Murray wrote in a statement Monday.
Murray added that Biden still needs to prove himself as a more “energetic” candidate.
“I have a deep appreciation and strong respect for Joe, who has led a historic first term as President,” Murray wrote. “Still, we need to see a much more forceful and energetic candidate on the campaign trail in the very near future in order for him to convince voters he is up to the job.”
Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., also suggested that Biden still has a decision to make.
“I think we’re having an important national conversation,” Hollen said. “I’m confident that the president will make a decision that’s in the best interests of the country.”
Many other Democrats will not say whether they believe the president should remain the nominee, but they suggest – after Biden already said he is not dropping out – that there needs to be conversations about his continued candidacy.
Sen. Michael Bennet, D-Colo., said there are still conversations that need to be had surrounding Biden as the Democrat nominee, warning of a potential red wave in November.
“Donald Trump is on track, I think, to win this election and maybe win it by a landslide and take with it the Senate and the House,” Bennet told CNN on Tuesday. “We should be having a discussion about that. The White House, in the time since that disastrous debate, I think, has done nothing to really demonstrate that they have a plan to win this election.”
Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., also encouraged conversations about Biden’s candidacy.
“With so much at stake in the upcoming election, now is the time for conversations about the strongest path forward,” the Democrat posted on X. “As these conversations continue, I believe it is incumbent upon the President to more aggressively make his case to the American people, and to hear directly from a broader group of voices about how to best prevent Trump’s lawlessness from returning to the White House.”
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Biden addressed members of Congress and skeptics of his re-election bid in a letter on Monday, stating that he is “firmly committed to staying in this race, to running this race to the end, and to beating Donald Trump.”
Despite Biden’s attempts to ease concerns within his party, eight House Democrats officially called on Biden to step down as the nominee.
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