President Joe Biden declared on Friday that he will persist in his bid for re-election, despite a growing number of Democrats in Congress urging him to end his campaign.
The 81-year-old president, currently isolating at his Delaware home due to a case of COVID-19, faces mounting pressure following a poor performance in a June debate against Republican rival Donald Trump, raising doubts about his ability to win or serve another term.
Biden, however, remained resolute, announcing his intention 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,” he said, referencing a policy plan from Trump’s conservative allies.
The Democratic Party’s internal discord stands in stark contrast to the unity displayed at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, where former rivals rallied around Trump, who accepted the Republican nomination with a characteristically lengthy and combative speech.
So far, 32 of the 264 Democrats in Congress have publicly called for Biden to withdraw from the race. Additionally, several senior Democratic leaders are reportedly urging him privately to step aside, according to sources and media reports. Concerns are growing within the party about the potential for a Republican sweep in the November election, which could result in Trump and his allies controlling both the White House and Congress.
“Your candidacy is on a trajectory to lose the White House and potentially impact crucial House and Senate races down ballot. It is for these reasons that I urge you to step aside,” wrote Representative Zoe Lofgren, one of at least nine Democratic lawmakers to call on Biden to drop out on Friday. Lofgren is a close ally of former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, one of the most influential Democrats. While Pelosi has not publicly asked Biden to withdraw, she has privately expressed her belief that he cannot win, according to a White House source speaking anonymously.
After weeks of insisting he would remain in the race, Biden is reportedly beginning to take these calls for his withdrawal seriously. Multiple Democratic officials believe that his exit from the race may be imminent. In response, a Democratic group named Pass the Torch plans to run television ads on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe,” one of Biden’s favourite shows, urging him to drop out.
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