Inside Biden-skeptic Democrats' tortured calculus
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Rep. Mikie Sherrill (D-N.J.) at a press conference at the Capitol on Nov. 7, 2023. Photo: Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call via Getty Images
House Democrats with lingering concerns about President Biden's ability to take on former President Trump in the November election are engaged in a difficult formulation over how, and whether, to make those apprehensions known.
Why it matters: There is a growing sense of resignation among Congress' Biden skeptics about being able to force him off the ticket, which has led some Democrats to wonder whether speaking out publicly is the right approach.
- "People don't want to risk hurting him if he's really going to go through with it [and] if speaking out is not going to make any difference," said one lawmaker.
Driving the news: Even after a caucus meeting that cemented some Biden rebels' view that his candidacy is inevitable, another House Democrat added her name to the small list of members publicly urging Biden to withdraw.
- "Because I know President Biden cares deeply about the future of our country, I am asking that he declare that he won't run for re-election," said Rep. Mikie Sherrill (D-N.J.).
- The timing of Sherrill's statement – after a morning in which many lawmakers acknowledged the apparent inevitability of Biden's candidacy – surprised some colleagues, with several positing that it was likely to emphasize that Biden still hasn't won over every House Democrat.
- One House Democrat, asked if Sherrill's statement could be a harbinger of more public calls for Biden to withdraw, told Axios: "Maybe a few."
Between the lines: Every House Democrat is trying to land on their personal version of political pragmatism.
- In this case, that tends to involve a mixture of soothing their voters, donors and other stakeholders while trying to ensure Democrats are as strong as possible going into November.
- Democrats are also grappling with a grim set of post-debate polling data and a Biden campaign that has tried to crack down on dissent.
Zoom in: One central factor in Democrats' deliberations is what they heard over the last week while in their districts.
- "I have heard from people in my district who are united in their concern for our country and our future," Sherrill said in her statement.
- Another Biden-skeptical House Democrat told Axios: "What we are telling the leadership is what we're hearing from our voters."
What to watch: For some House Democrats, the compromise approach is saying that they simply need to see more from Biden and his team.
- "He needs to be ... more acknowledging rather than combative. He needs to have a little more empathy when it comes to what people saw [on debate] night," said Rep. Jimmy Panetta (D-Calif.).
