President Biden is asking Democrats to stop asking if they should stop seeking reelection and “move forward as a unified party” in order to defeat former President Trump in 2024.
And in a letter to Democratic lawmakers on Monday, after returning from the July 4th holiday, the president reiterated his “commitment to continuing this campaign” and argued that further doubts about his candidacy “will only help Mr. Trump and hurt us.”
After his grueling performance in his first head-to-head debate with President Trump a week and a half ago, the president has been trying to prove he still has the stamina and agility to handle the toughest, most demanding job in the world — and the mental fortitude to beat President Trump.
Discussion This was a major setback for Biden, who at 81 is the oldest president in U.S. history. His halting speech and halting answers in the Atlanta contest caused widespread panic within the Democratic Party, with calls both public and privately growing within the party for Biden to step down as the standard-bearer for the 2024 presidential election.
House Democratic leaders call on Biden to step down
President Biden and former President Trump will debate in Atlanta on June 27, 2024. (Getty Images)
But in his letter, Biden emphasized, “Despite media and other speculation, I want you to know that I remain in this race, I fight to the end, and I am firmly committed to defeating Donald Trump.”
The president stressed that he has had “extensive conversations” with party leaders, rank-and-file members and Democratic supporters over the past few days, and said he has “listened to the concerns people have.”
“I’m not ignoring them,” he stressed.
Trump’s approval rating rises in post-debate polls after Biden’s failure
But he stressed that he “would not run again if I wasn’t convinced I was the best person to beat Donald Trump in 2024.”
He also highlighted his crushing victory over several long-shot rivals in the 2024 Democratic presidential nomination race.
“Are we now saying that this process didn’t matter? Are we saying that voters didn’t have a say?”
“I reject that,” Biden added, answering his own question.
President Biden spoke at a campaign rally in Madison, Wisconsin. (Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images)
Several House Democrats have publicly called on Biden to not seek reelection, and Fox News and other outlets reported Sunday that four House Democrats who serve on key committees said in a conference call with House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York that the president needs to step aside.
Meanwhile, Senate Democrats, led by Virginia Sen. Mark Warner, could meet as early as Tuesday to discuss the president’s political future.
But in his letter, Biden argued that enough is enough.
As Democratic Party in turmoil after Biden debate, Trump looks to expand reach
“The question of how to proceed has been under discussion for over a week now, and it’s time to end it. We have one job: to defeat Donald Trump,” Biden said.
“Any weakening of resolve or lack of clarity about the agenda ahead will only help Trump and hurt us,” Biden wrote, arguing that the president “is now time to come together, move forward as a party, and defeat Donald Trump.”
Several national polls conducted in full after the debate and released last week contained a number of warning signs for Trump, including a widening of his single-digit lead over Biden and growing concern among Americans about whether Biden is up to the task of running the country.
Click here to get the FOX News app
But a Bloomberg Morning Consult poll released over the weekend showed Biden catching up with Trump in several key battleground states that could decide the outcome of the presidential election.
Biden’s letter to Democratic lawmakers was sent alongside a memorandum from his campaign highlighting polling results, his increasingly busy campaign itinerary and a series of supportive comments from a range of figures within the Democratic Party.
Separately, Biden has made direct calls to about 20 Democratic lawmakers and plans to make more in the coming days, a campaign aide told Fox News.
Fox News’ Chad Pergram and Tyler Olson contributed to this report.
Get the latest 2024 election campaign updates, exclusive interviews and more on Fox News Digital’s Election Hub.
