President Joe Biden will return to the White House on July 7, 2024.
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New Jersey Rep. Mickey Sherrill on Tuesday became the latest Democrat to publicly urge President Joe Biden to stop seeking reelection and allow a new candidate to compete against former President Donald Trump.
“Given my four children and all of their rights that would be at risk if President Trump were to become president again, and the recent Supreme Court decision granting excessive power to the President of the United States, the risk is too great and the threat too real to remain silent,” Sherrill said in a statement.
“I know President Biden cares deeply about the future of our country, so I would like him to declare that he will not run for re-election and lead the process of selecting a new nominee,” she said.
Sherrill is the seventh House Democrat, and the ninth overall, to publicly call for Biden to withdraw. According to a tally by NBC News.
Her statement came hours after House Democrats gathered at national party headquarters in Washington for a key caucus meeting in which lawmakers are considering whether to continue supporting Biden’s besieged campaign or seek replacement.
Lawmakers were not allowed to use their cellphones during the closed-door meeting, which marked the first time they had gathered together in full since the disastrous June debate between Biden and Trump sparked a full-blown election crisis.
Reporters trickled out of the building after the meeting Tuesday morning, but many lawmakers refused to answer their questions.
“I promised I wouldn’t talk about anything that was said,” Rep. Mike Quigley (D-Ill.) told NBC News as he left the room.
When a reporter asked Rep. Steve Cohen (D-Tenn.) if Democrats were on the same page, Cohen replied, “No, we’re not on the same page.”
Cohen also told Axios reporters: Some members Cohen told the caucus that Biden should withdraw. A spokesman for Cohen did not respond to a request from CNBC to confirm the remarks.
Senate Democrats held their own meeting on Capitol Hill Tuesday afternoon.
Biden’s weak and raspy speech during the debate sparked panic among Democrats, with some top donors, pundits and allies publicly urging the 81-year-old Biden to abandon his bid for another four years in the presidency.
Rep. Jerry Nadler, D-N.Y., also called on Biden to withdraw but said Tuesday he would support the incumbent.
“I fully support him, I will be campaigning for him, and it’s essential that he wins.” Nadler said:.
But Rep. Lori Trahan (D-Massachusetts) expressed deep concerns about Biden continuing to run.
“Since the debate, I have met with fellow Biden supporters in Massachusetts who have serious concerns about whether the president can beat President Donald Trump, and I share those concerns,” Trahan, co-chair of the Democratic Policy and Communications Committee, told NBC in a statement on Tuesday.
“President Biden has made it clear that he believes he is the best candidate to win this election, but nothing that has happened over the past 12 days suggests that voters view him the same way,” Trahan said.
“A second term for President Trump would do irreparable damage to women and our country. President Biden must act urgently to restore the public’s trust so he can win the election in November.”
Rep. Jerrold Nadler of New York leaves a meeting of the House Democratic Caucus to discuss Joe Biden’s presidential bid, Tuesday, July 9, 2024, at the Democratic National Committee.
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But overall, only a handful of Democrats have publicly called for a change of candidate, an extremely risky move with less than four months until Election Day.
Biden believes he remains the best person to take on Trump in the presidential election and has rejected calls to step down. Since the debate, Biden has worked to solidify support from key constituencies, including the Congressional Black Caucus and the Congressional Hispanic Caucus.
“I stand with President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris as we continue to do the work that needs to be done,” California Democratic Congressional Hispanic Caucus Chair Nanette Barragan told MSNBC after the caucus met Tuesday morning.
Barragan described the meeting as a “family conversation to hear from colleagues,” but added that “it was a private conversation.”
Democratic leaders issued brief statements endorsing the Biden-Harris ticket.
“The day after the debate, I made it publicly clear that I support Joe Biden for President and the Democratic nominee, and my position has not changed,” House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York told reporters Monday night.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, Democrat of New York, said he supports Biden.
Outside the Democratic National Committee building, several protesters in suits and sunglasses held signs that read in capital letters: “IS JOE BIDEN FITNESS FOR PRESIDENT?”
According to Politico, the protesters claimed to be members of the Republican National Campaign Committee.
Correction: An earlier version of this story misstated the state represented by Rep. Jerry Nadler. He represents New York.