With less than four months until the election, growing numbers of Democrats are urging President Biden to step aside, fearing a major defeat up and down the ballot if he remains on the ticket.
As President Biden recovers from COVID-19, he faces mounting pressure from within his own party to withdraw from the 2024 presidential race. A growing number of Democrats, including several prominent lawmakers, are expressing concern that Biden's declining poll numbers and perceived weakness will drag down the party's chances of success in the upcoming election.
In a recent poll conducted by the New York Times and Siena College, Biden's approval rating among registered voters stands at just 33%, with 64% disapproving of his performance as president. The poll also shows that Biden is trailing former President Donald Trump by 10 points in a hypothetical matchup.
Biden's Poll Numbers Dive as Calls for Him to Withdraw from Race Intensify
These poll numbers have raised alarm bells among Democratic leaders, who fear that Biden's unpopularity will hurt the party's chances of retaining control of the Senate and House of Representatives. Several Democratic lawmakers have publicly called for Biden to reconsider his candidacy, arguing that the party needs a stronger candidate to defeat Trump.
"I have concern that Mr. Biden will fall short," said Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-CA). "This isn't about him. This is about America's future."
Others, such as Rep. Jim Clyburn (D-SC), have remained steadfast in their support of Biden, but have acknowledged that the president's chances of winning reelection are dwindling.
"I've made it very clear that I'm riding with Biden and that's not going to change," Clyburn said.
The pressure on Biden to withdraw is also coming from within his own party's fundraising circles. Some major donors have reportedly begun to withdraw their support, citing concerns about Biden's electability.
"Fundraising has slowed," said Biden-Harris National Finance Committee member Lindy Li. "People are expecting more of a interactive conversation, but I understand that she's busy. She just raised $2 million just yesterday."
The Democratic National Convention is scheduled to be held from August 1-7, where the party will officially nominate its presidential candidate. DNC Chair Jaime Harrison has said that he expects Biden to remain on the ticket, but has acknowledged that the party is facing a difficult decision.
"We have to cauterize this wound right now, and the sooner we can do it the better," said Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA).
The mounting pressure on Biden to withdraw from the race has led to speculation that the party could hold a mini-primary to select a new candidate. However, some Democrats have expressed reluctance to challenge Biden, citing the need for party unity.
"I am concerned right now," said Rep. Jake Auchincloss (D-MA). "If the election were held today, Democrats would be in trouble. I think there's no empirical way to say otherwise."
"But the election is not going to be held today. They're going to be held in November," Auchincloss added. "And we have not just very strong candidates at the House and the Senate level, we also have strong surrogates. We've got Kamala Harris who can prosecute a case, which is good, because Trump's a convicted felon. We've got Pete Buttigieg who can talk about infrastructure and the economy for swing state voters. We got Gina Raimondo, a successful governor, who's now leading the strategy to out-compete China."
The Democratic Party faces a challenging decision in the coming weeks. They must balance the need to field a strong candidate who can defeat Trump with the potential damage that a contested primary could cause to party unity. The outcome of this decision will have a major impact on the party's chances of success in the upcoming election.
