Multiple ranking House Democrats have reportedly told Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries that they want President Joe Biden to drop out of the race and allow Vice President Kamala Harris for the position of commander-in-chief.
This development comes as more officials, pundits, and news outlets are calling on the 81-year-old to step aside and allow a more vigorous candidate to take on former President Donald Trump.
Biden’s disastrous performance in last month’s debate seems to have blown up his re-election bid, prompting his once-steadfast supporters in the Democratic Party to panic and begin publicly admitting that there’s no way he can beat Trump. While many are grumbling behind the scenes, several have come forward to call on the president to drop out of the race.
Ranking House Democrats shared their thoughts with Jeffries (D-NY) on Sunday, and, according to news outlets, signaled that they want Harris to step up and take a run at Trump.
Here’s some of what Fox News reported on this development:
Democrats met behind closed doors Sunday as pressure mounted on President Biden to drop out of the race.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., held a virtual meeting with ranking Democrats on House panels Sunday afternoon.
Fox News learned that multiple Democrats on House committees expressed concerns about the viability of Biden continuing to run for re-election against former President Trump.
Fox is told the consensus among most Democrats on the call who suggested Biden should abandon the race was that the party should focus on Vice President Kamala Harris as a potential successor.
Reps. Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y.; Mark Takano, D-Calif.; Don Beyer, D-Va.; and Adam Smith, D-Wash., expressed privately that Biden should exit the presidential race as the Democratic nominee on Sunday. Most of them also reportedly said Harris should be the nominee, two people familiar with the meeting told The Associated Press.
Following reports on the meeting, Beyer issued a statement.
“I support President Biden. I support the Biden-Harris ticket, and look forward to helping defeat Donald Trump in November,” the representative said. “I was proud to host an event this week in Northern Virginia with the President, and will continue doing all I can to support the Biden-Harris campaign in Virginia and across the country.”