House Democrats brace for a brawl over Biden's future

• "The question of how to move forward has been well-aired for over a week now. And it's time for it to end," Biden wrote in a Monday morning letter to congressional Democrats.
• Biden also appeared on MSNBC's "Morning Joe" to slam Democratic "elites" who have called for him to drop out, saying, "if any of these guys don't think I should run, run against me."

What we're hearing: Biden's letter met with a mixed reception on Capitol Hill.

• One senior House Democrat, asked if the letter would change any minds, told Axios: "No."
• Another senior House Democrat predicted it will "make a difference. Especially for those who still believe he is open to a decision to withdraw," but will also "likely" be received negatively by some members.
• A House Democrat skeptical of Biden said it is "largely posturing and pulling heartstrings," adding, "The problem is the hard reality of this situation, and he just seems completely insulated from that reality."

Zoom in: Rep. Haley Stevens (D-Mich.), one of several vocal Biden defenders on the Hill, called the letter "brilliant."

• "I think it's a reminder of what's at stake, where the president's head is, and why he is best-positioned to win this election," Stevens said.
• The Biden campaign stressed that the letter was part of a broader outreach campaign that included the "Morning Joe" appearance, an ABC news interview, and events in Wisconsin and Pennsylvania.

Zoom out: Monday saw a rush of House Democrats trying to publicize their positions on Biden's candidacy — even if some of those positions are not entirely clear.

• Rep. Greg Landsman (D-Ohio) said in a statement: "President Biden has to be able to make this case clearly to the American people, again and again and again. Now's the time for action, but time is running out."
• Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-N.Y.) blasted colleagues for "intra-party mixed messaging" that he called "deeply destructive," adding: "Weakening a weakened nominee seems like a losing strategy."
• Other lawmakers reaffirmed their support for Biden: Congressional Black Caucus Chair Steven Horsford (D-Nev.) put out a statement saying Biden "is the nominee and has been selected by millions of voters."

State of play: Five House Democrats have called for Biden to drop out, with several others making that position clear in private settings.

• Many others, like Stevens and Horsford, have stood behind Biden, with some castigating colleagues for breaking with their party's leader.
• Lawmakers have told Axios they expect the trickle of calls for Biden to withdraw to grow as Congress returns to session this week.
• But a third senior House Democrat said the chaos around Biden's candidacy has a "natural expiration date" and predicted Democratic leadership will "encourage folks to stop talking and get back to work."

What's next: In anticipation of a discussion focused on Biden's candidacy, Democrats changed the location of their weekly caucus meeting from the Capitol to the Democratic National Committee's headquarters.

• Lawmakers told Axios that is likely because the Tuesday morning meeting will be centered on politics — a conversation that can only be had outside the Capitol under ethics rules.
• House Democratic leaders are also trying to crack down on leaks: "Cellphones will not be permitted. Secure cellphone storage for Members will be provided on site," said an advisory to House Democrats.

What to watch: Several lawmakers forecasted to Axios that Tuesday's meeting could get heated.

• "Tensions are high," said one senior House Democrat – though they added it has not reached the level of "heated exchanges," yet.
• Another House Democrat predicted a "come-to-Jesus meeting," adding, "We're a caucus, not a cult like Republicans."

Axios' Stef W. Kight contributed reporting for this story.