California Democrats urge Biden to drop out of 2024 race
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President Biden at a NATO event Tuesday in Washington, D.C. Photo: Kevin Dietsch via Getty Images
The leader of the California Democratic congressional delegation has joined the growing list of congressional lawmakers publicly urging President Biden to step down as the party's presumptive presidential nominee.
Why it matters: Biden has firmly resisted calls to drop out of the 2024 race despite the panic that's ensued — among donors, constituents and lawmakers from his own party — following his poor debate performance.
- All four California lawmakers who have spoken out are running for re-election.
The latest: Rep. Zoe Lofgren, who represents San José and chairs the California Democratic congressional delegation, released a letter to Biden on Friday that warned "our country will pay a dreadful price" if his candidacy continues.
- "Simply put, your candidacy is on a trajectory to lose the White House and potentially impact crucial House and Senate races down ballot," she wrote.
- San Rafael's Rep. Jared Huffman similarly issued a statement with three other non-Californian Democrats calling on Biden to "pass the torch."
- "We must face the reality that widespread public concerns about your age and fitness are jeopardizing what should be a winning campaign," the lawmakers said Friday.
Context: Rep. Scott Peters of San Diego was the first California lawmaker to urge Biden to withdraw. In a statement two weeks ago, he said "the stakes are high, and we are on a losing course."
- "My conscience requires me to speak up and put loyalty to the country and to democracy ahead of my great affection for, and loyalty to, the president and those around him."
- "We must find a candidate from our deep bench of talent who can defeat Donald Trump ... [who] must be selected through a fair and transparent process," Peters said.
Rep. Mike Levin, who represents North County cities, followed a day later, saying in a statement "the time has come for President Biden to pass the torch."
- He recognized Biden's leadership and decades of public service, and noted constituents' and his own concerns about Biden's debate performance.
The other side: Biden has received pronouncements of support from dozens of House and Senate Democrats, including House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.).
- Biden has maintained to congressional Democrats that he is not leaving the race.
- Biden's campaign conceded in an internal memo Thursday that the polling "movement" since the debate is "real," but argued it does not represent "a sea-change in the state of the race."
- "There is also no indication that anyone else would outperform the president vs. [former President] Trump," Biden campaign chair Jen O'Malley Dillon and campaign manager Julie Chavez Rodriguez wrote.
Editor's note: This story has been updated to add statements from Reps. Zoe Lofgren and Jared Huffman.