Democrats Privately Call for Biden to Withdraw from Presidential RaceDemocrats Privately Call for Biden to Withdraw from Presidential Race According to multiple sources, four senior Democrats in the House of Representatives privately urged President Joe Biden to withdraw from the presidential race during a Sunday call with House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries. Reps. Jerry Nadler, Mark Takano, Joe Morelle, and Adam Smith expressed their belief that Biden should step aside, sources told ABC News. These Democrats hold top positions on key House committees, including Judiciary, Veterans Affairs, Administration, and Armed Services. Rep. Don Beyer of Virginia also voiced concerns about Biden’s path forward, but a spokesperson later clarified that Beyer “supports President Biden” despite any contrary reporting. Jeffries did not take a position during the call, stating that he would consult with the caucus throughout the week to gather opinions. A Biden campaign adviser responded by emphasizing that the vast majority of the caucus supports Biden, including Jeffries and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer. The campaign asserted that they will continue fighting and will not give up. Pennsylvania Democratic Rep. Susan Wild publicly acknowledged expressing concerns about Biden’s electability during the call. She stated that she will continue having such conversations while prioritizing the interests of her constituents.
(WASHINGTON) — At least four top Democrats in the House of Representatives told House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries on Sunday that they are calling on President Joe Biden to drop out of the presidential race, according to multiple sources with knowledge of the discussion during the private call.
Reps. Jerry Nadler, Mark Takano, Joe Morelle and Adam Smith said Biden should step aside and no longer continue his campaign, sources told ABC News.
This is noteworthy: It means that the top Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee, the top member of Veterans Affairs, the top Democrat on the Administration Committee, and the top member of the Armed Services Committee have privately said Biden should resign.
Rep. Don Beyer of Virginia, whose wife was a major Biden fundraiser in 2020, expressed concerns about the president’s path forward, according to multiple sources. A spokesperson posted on X that Beyer “supports President Biden and said so in this conversation, and any reporting to the contrary is a misunderstanding of what he said and what he believes.”
Jeffries did not offer a position, according to a person on the call, who told ABC News that the Democratic leader said he would be in talks with the caucus throughout the week, starting with these senior Democrats to get opinions on the way forward.
ABC News has reached out to representatives for Beyer, Nadler, Takano, Morelle and Smith for comment.
When reached on Sunday, a Biden campaign adviser said the “simple math” shows the vast majority of the caucus, including House Minority Leader Jeffries and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, is on Biden’s side.
The campaign says they will not give up and are “ready to fight.”
On Sunday evening, Pennsylvania Democratic Rep. Susan Wild said in a statement that she “expressed the same concerns as Americans across the country about President Biden’s electability at the top of the ticket” during the House leadership call.
In her statement, she said: “In the days and weeks ahead, I will operate as I always have, continuing to have these important conversations and putting the interests of my constituents at the forefront of every decision and statement I make.”
Wild, who faces a tough reelection test, has so far avoided discussing Biden’s performance in debates. He has since repeatedly declined to answer questions from ABC News about the president’s future.
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