A growing number of lawmakers are calling for President Biden to withdraw from the 2024 election, with five more House Democrats joining them on Friday.
In a joint statement, Reps. Jared Huffman (D-Calif.), Mark Veasey (D-Texas), Chuy Garcia (D-Ill.) and Mark Pocan (D-Wis.) called on Biden to “pass the baton to a new generation of Democratic leadership.”
“Mr. President, with great admiration for yourself, heartfelt respect for your decades of public service and patriotic leadership, and deep gratitude for all we have accomplished together during your presidency, it is now time for you to pass the baton to a new generation of Democratic leadership,” the lawmakers wrote.
Biden campaign insists he’s ‘in this race’ amid growing calls from Democrats to quit: Live updates
President Biden speaks at the 115th NAACP National Convention at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center on July 16, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Mario Tama/Getty Images)
“To save our democracy, protect our alliances and rules-based international order, and build on the strong foundations we have built over the past four years, we must defeat Donald Trump,” they said.
“But at this point, we must face the reality that widespread public concerns about your age and health are jeopardizing a campaign we must win. While that perception may not be fair, it was solidified in the aftermath of last month’s debate and is now unlikely to change. We believe the most responsible and patriotic action you can take at this time is to step down as a candidate while continuing to lead your party from the White House.”
Veasey is the first member of the Congressional Black Caucus, which has strongly supported Biden, to call for the president to step down.
New poll reveals how Democrats think of Harris as president
Rep. Mark Veasey (D-Texas) arrives at the Rayburn Building on Wednesday, May 24, 2023. Rep. Veasey was the first member of the Congressional Black Caucus to call for Biden to step aside from the 2024 presidential election. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)
A fifth House Democrat, Rep. Sean Kasten of Illinois, also urged Biden to withdraw in an op-ed in the Chicago Tribune.
“It’s time for Joe Biden to pass the baton,” Kasten wrote.
“[P]”The world of politics, like life, is not fair. To the extent that this election becomes a contest about which candidate is more likely to be held accountable for public gaffes and ‘senior citizen moments,’ I believe Biden will not only lose, but also have absolutely no ability to change that debate.”
Additionally, Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-Ill.) called on Biden on Friday to halt his presidential campaign, making him the third Democratic senator to do so.
“While the decision to withdraw from the campaign was President Biden’s alone, I believe it is best for our country that he steps aside,” Heinrich said in a statement.
Biden should step down and resign, undecided voter tells ABC
Rep. Sean Kasten (D-Ill.) urged Biden to “pass the baton to a new generation of Democrats” in an op-ed published in the Chicago Tribune on Friday. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)
Currently, 28 Democrats are in office. Biden to step downThat number represents more than 10% of Democrats elected to Congress.
Behind the scenes, Democratic Party officials, big donors and key Biden allies are reportedly urging the president to reconsider his decision to continue in the race. Vice President Kamala Harris is seen as the favorite to win the party’s nomination if Biden withdraws before the Democratic National Committee convention in August. Some Democrats, however, worry that Harris could also lose to Trump and would prefer to see a candidate without ties to the current administration be nominated at an open convention.
Biden has not publicly indicated he plans to resign, and his campaign has strongly denied any suggestion to the contrary.
Click here to get the FOX News app
“The president is certainly in this race. You’ve heard him say that many times,” Biden campaign chair Jen O’Malley Dillon said Friday on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe.”
“I’m not saying the last few weeks haven’t been tough for the campaign. They certainly have been tough. We’ve certainly seen some drops in the polls, but they’ve been small.”
Fox News Digital’s Julia Johnson contributed to this report.
Get the latest 2024 campaign updates, exclusive interviews and more on Fox News Digital’s Election Hub.
