First Democratic Congressman Calls for Biden to Resign as NomineeFirst Democratic Congressman Calls for Biden to Resign as Nominee In a stunning move, Democratic Congressman Lloyd Doggett of Texas has become the first member of his party to publicly call for President Joe Biden to resign as the party’s presidential nominee. Doggett cited Biden’s performance in the recent debate against Donald Trump as a reason for his request, saying that the president “failed to effectively defend his many accomplishments.” Doggett expressed his respect for Biden’s service but urged him to “make the painful and difficult decision to withdraw.” He emphasized that the decision was not taken lightly and was prompted by concerns about Biden’s age and the strength of his candidacy. Doggett’s statement follows growing concerns among Democrats about Biden’s debate performance, which many saw as lackluster. Even his most ardent supporters have questioned whether he is the best candidate to face Trump in November. The White House has responded with respect for Doggett’s opinions while defending Biden’s fitness for the presidency. Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre stated that Biden remains committed to fighting for a second term. The escalating debate within the Democratic Party has raised questions about the control of Congress, with both the Senate and House at stake in November. Democrats are particularly concerned about losing their narrow majority in the Senate. Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi echoed Doggett’s concerns, stating that it is a “legitimate question” to consider whether Biden’s debate performance was indicative of a more serious condition. However, she stressed that Biden is knowledgeable and committed to the issues. Despite the criticisms, some Democrats remain supportive of Biden. Senator Bernie Sanders expressed doubts about Biden’s ability to win but believes it is crucial to prevent Trump from regaining the presidency. As the Democratic National Convention approaches in August, the party faces a difficult decision on whether to continue with Biden or explore alternative candidates. The road to an alternative nomination is uncertain, with only four months remaining before Election Day.
A Democratic House congressman has become the first in the party to publicly call for President Joe Biden to resign as the party’s presidential nominee, citing Biden’s performance in the debate against Donald Trump as a reason for “failing to effectively defend his many accomplishments.”
Rep. Lloyd Doggett of Texas said in a statement Tuesday that Biden “must make the painful and difficult decision to withdraw.”
“My decision to make these strong reservations public was not taken lightly, and it in no way diminishes my respect for all that President Biden has accomplished,” Doggett said. “Recognizing that President Biden, unlike Trump, has always been committed to our country first, not to himself, I hope he will make the painful and difficult decision to withdraw. I respectfully urge him to do so.”
Doggett, who represents a district in Austin and is serving his 15th term in Congress, is the first sitting lawmaker in his party to say publicly what many have been whispering behind closed doors since last week’s debate. Biden’s lackluster performance immediately sent even his most ardent supporters into a frenzy, prompting many to question whether the 81-year-old career politician is the strongest Democratic candidate to take on Trump, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, in November.
“I represent the heart of a congressional district that was once represented by Lyndon Johnson,” continued Doggett, who is the No. 2 Democrat on the powerful House Ways and Means Committee. “Under very different circumstances, he made the painful decision to withdraw. President Biden should do the same.”
Biden himself admitted that the debate did not go well for him, but he insisted he was ready to fight for a second term as president. Asked Tuesday about the growing concerns among Democrats, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said they respect the opinions and thoughts of concerned party members, adding, “That’s what makes this party different from the other side.” As for Doggett, she said, “He’s going to have his thoughts. That’s something for him to talk about.”
In addition to the White House, control of both chambers of Congress also hangs in the balance in November, and Democrats are defending far more Senate seats than Republicans. Democrats control the Senate by a narrow 51-49 majority, while Republicans control the House by a handful of seats.
Doggett’s explosive statement came minutes after former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) told MSNBC that she believes “it’s a legitimate question” whether Biden’s faltering performance is just “an incident or whether this is a condition.”
“If people ask that question, it’s legitimate — for both candidates,” Pelosi said.
President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden visited a waffle restaurant in Georgia after Thursday night’s debate with former President Donald Trump.
Pelosi said she had not spoken to Biden since the debate, but she stressed that the president “is at the top of his game, in terms of knowing the issues and what’s at stake.”
It’s a stunning and swift turn in the history of Biden, his campaign and his allies on Capitol Hill, who have spent much of the past several years battling criticism of the president’s fitness to serve and defending his ability to serve another four-year term, at the end of which he would be 86.
But Biden’s shaky debate performance with Trump has shaken Democratic support to its core, with party members at all levels weighing the possibility that he could no longer be the nominee.
Rep. Jamie Raskin, the top Democrat on the House Oversight Committee and an influential voice in the caucus, raised the possibility over the weekend that Biden would step aside ahead of the Democratic convention in August.
“So whether he’s the nominee or someone else is the nominee, he’s going to be the keynote speaker at our convention,” Raskin told MSNBC of Biden. “He’s going to be the figure that we rally around to move forward.”
Other elected Democrats said they were surprised by Biden’s rambling, raspy performance. Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R., said he’d known Biden for years and served with him in the Senate, but “had never seen that happen before.”
“I think people want to make sure that this is a campaign that is poised to win, that the president and his team are being candid with us about his condition — that this was a real anomaly and not just the way he is today,” Whitehouse told WPRI on Monday.
And then there is a faction within the Democratic Party that is deeply disappointed with Biden’s performance, but points to the political reality: With less than two months before the Democratic National Convention and four months before Election Day, the road to an alternative candidate is bumpy and uncertain.
Sen. Bernie Sanders, Biden’s former Democratic opponent, told The Associated Press in an interview Tuesday that he is not confident the president can win in November but that he does not want him to step aside given what the party sees as the greatest threat to democracy in Trump.
“A presidential election is not a Grammy Award contest for best singer or best entertainer. It’s about who has the best policies that impact our lives,” Sanders said. “I’m going to do everything I can to make sure Biden gets re-elected.”
Associated Press editors Kevin Freking and Stephen Groves contributed to this report.
