Democratic lawmakers are set to meet behind closed doors on Tuesday (9) to discuss growing fears about the party’s prospects in the Nov. 5 election after President Joe Biden rejected calls from party members to drop his re-election bid.
Although only a few Democratic congressmen have publicly called for the president to step down, several other party members have expressed concern about the real chances of a Biden victory.
The underwhelming performance in the presidential debate CNN renewed doubts about the current president’s ability to run a successful re-election campaign – and to be able to face the exhausting work of the Presidency for another four and a half years.
The growing split within the party prompted emergency action by the group that controls Biden’s campaign to try to contain further defections.
The president said in a phone interview with MSNBC on Monday (8) that he was “not going anywhere,” a message he repeated to donors in private calls throughout the day, according to two sources present at the conversations.
Biden made several campaign appearances on Sunday (7) in the key state of Pennsylvania. Vice President Kamala Harris, seen by many as the most likely candidate to succeed Biden, was also campaigning for the president.
However, Democratic Rep. Joe Morelle said his New York district voters are losing confidence in Biden after his poor debate performance.
“They need more evidence to feel confident that he can continue to do the job. And just repeating that is not enough. He will have to demonstrate his ability,” Morelle said.
Even longtime Biden supporters said he needs to do more.
“We need to see a much more vigorous and energetic candidate on the campaign trail in the very near future,” Democratic Senator Patty Murray, the chairwoman of the powerful Senate Appropriations Committee, said in a statement, adding that Biden “needs to seriously consider how best to preserve his incredible legacy.”
Biden has vowed to stay in the presidential race, arguing that Trump, 78, poses a unique threat to democracy. Trump, who repeatedly lied during the debate, falsely claimed his 2020 defeat was the result of voter fraud and has not committed to accepting the results of this year’s election.
Democratic lawmakers, especially those in the House, have also expressed concern that Biden’s struggles could hurt his own bid for a majority in the House, which would be the only bulwark against Trump if he were to win. Republicans currently hold a 220-213 majority in the chamber.
Source: CNN Brasil
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