Former Rep. Tim Ryan (D-Ohio) predicted voter concerns about President Biden’s age could be a disaster for battleground Democrats across the country in the November election.
Ryan was one of the first leading Democrats to urge Biden to drop out of the presidential race last week, and in an interview with “Fox News Sunday’s” Shannon Bream, he said he expected more senators to join his call.
“I think there’s going to be a lot of pressure on us as lawmakers say maybe today, tomorrow, sometime this week, that maybe we can’t run under Biden,” Ryan said, “because that would hold back everybody else, and I think that’s a really big concern for leaders.” [Hakeem] Jefferies [D-N.Y.]he’s a phenomenal leader.”
“I think his members, donors and activists across the country are very concerned,” he added.
Five House Democrats have called on Biden to drop out of the race, and Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.) is reportedly trying to get senators to do the same. Jeffries said: Meeting with House Democrats They are scheduled to debate Biden’s candidacy on Sunday afternoon.
Ryan has made it clear he is a fan of Biden but said his poor debate performance could create concern among voters and hinder his reelection bid.
“If this was a sporting event and you had three interceptions, the coach would replace the quarterback,” Ryan said. “If the pitcher isn’t performing and you’re giving up home runs, the coach would replace the pitcher.”
“My guess is that’s the situation right now,” Ryan continued.
The former congressman has endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris as Biden’s best successor.
“Anyone who says Harris is any more of a risk than Joe Biden, who we saw the other day, is just missing the point,” Ryan wrote in a Newsweek op-ed last week. “It’s not only completely absurd for haters to say that, it’s insulting.”
