Several Democrats have rushed to defend President Joe Biden amid calls for him to withdraw from the presidential race.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (NY), Sen. Bob Casey (PA), and Sen. Mark Warner (VA) are among the Democrats who have come out in support of the president in the aftermath of his lackluster performance at the presidential debate on June 27.
Andrew Desiderio, a reporter with Punchbowl News, reported that upon being asked if he was comfortable with Biden’s fitness to serve another term as president, Casey “didn’t directly answer” questions from reporters.
Casey reportedly told reporters that the Democrat Party already has its “two nominees,” referring to the incumbent president and Vice President Kamala Harris.
“I’ve got a race to run,” Casey reportedly added. “I’ll let the political scientists analyze. I’m not gonna be an analyst.”
Jake Sherman of Punchbowl News posted that Jeffries reportedly stated that he had “made clear the day after” the presidential debate between Biden and former President Donald Trump that he supported “Joe Biden and the Democratic ticket,” adding that his “position has not changed.”
Warner, who was previously reported to have been assembling a group of Senate Democrats to demand Biden withdraw from the presidential race, issued a statement stressing that “another Trump term would be perilous.”
“Another Trump term would be perilous for rule of law and for our democracy,” Warner wrote. “President Biden has made America stronger, guiding the nation through some of our most difficult days. I am proud of my work on his agenda. With so much at stake in the upcoming election, now is the time for conversations about the strongest path forward.”
Warner added that “it is incumbent upon” Biden to be more aggressive in making “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.”
Rep. Grace Meng (D-NY) also issued a statement on Monday supporting Biden and calling for Democrats to “focus on the work ahead.”
In the aftermath of Biden’s debate performance against Trump, where he appeared to freeze, spoke with a hoarse voice, and was unable to get through his prepared closing statement without making errors, several donors, Democrats, and voters have floated the idea of replacing Biden and have called for him to “step aside.”
Biden and his campaign have maintained that he is still running.
During a rally in Madison, Wisconsin, on Friday, Biden told the crowd that he was “running” and that he would win the presidential election.
