Texas Congressman Lloyd Doggett issued a statement on Tuesday urging President Joe Biden to withdraw from the 2024 presidential race, citing concerns over Biden’s recent debate performance against former President Donald Trump.
Doggett’s (D-TX) call marks the first formal request from a Democratic legislator for Biden to step down, reflecting mounting apprehensions within the party about Biden’s future candidacy.
In the wake of last week’s presidential debate, Doggett expressed disappointment in Biden’s failure to effectively defend his achievements and keep up with Trump’s pace.
“Instead of reassuring voters, the President failed to effectively defend his many accomplishments and expose Trump’s many lies,” Doggett’s statement read.
The debate, characterized by Biden’s apparently diminishing ability to communicate clearly, has sparked internal discussions among Democratic leaders. Former Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s recent remarks on MSNBC showcased the seriousness of the situation for the party.
“I think it’s a legitimate question to say, is this an episode or is this a condition?” she said, echoing widespread concerns about Biden’s ability to run a successful campaign or even remain healthy throughout the campaign. “When people ask that question, it’s completely legitimate — of both candidates.”
RealClearPolitics’ latest polling average shows Trump leading Biden by 2.4 points. Prior to the debate, Trump held a narrower 1.5-point edge in the average polling figures.
These shifts prompted anxiety among a group of Democratic governors, who reportedly held discussions on Monday to evaluate Biden’s candidacy and the party’s strategy going forward, according to The Texan.
Doggett, a politician with lengthy tenures in the U.S. Congress and the Texas Legislature, drew historical parallels to support his recommendation that Biden step down from his candidacy.
“I represent the heart of a congressional district once represented by Lyndon Johnson. Under very different circumstances, he made the painful decision to withdraw. President Biden should do the same,” Doggett said in his statement.
As the Democratic Party navigates this critical juncture, the focus remains on potentially finding a candidate who can unite the party and effectively challenge Trump in the upcoming election.
According to a recent report from NPR, Democratic strategists are aware that incumbent Democratic senators have consistently polled better than President Biden in recent weeks.
Shelly Luther, the Republican Texas House District 62 nominee, recently spoke with The Dallas Express about the impact of the debate.
“Trump won, of course. Biden was ridiculous. Biden has no business being up there. Putting him up there like that should be criminal,” Luther said .“I think most people who are voting think this debate was shocking. People who watch and think ‘that’s my guy’ are fooling themselves,” she added.