House Democrats who support President Biden slammed members of their own party who have publicly opposed the 81-year-old Biden’s 2024 presidential bid in the aftermath of his disastrous debate performance last month, arguing that it is undermining the president’s standing.
Congress reconvenes on Monday for the first time since the immediate fallout from Biden’s debate performance, and Democratic lawmakers are expected to face intense scrutiny.
New York Rep. Ritchie Torres, who has voiced support for Biden, blamed other Democrats for the social unrest.
“Regardless of where you stand on President Biden’s political future, I think the mixed messaging within the party is extremely self-defeating,” Torres said Monday. “Those who publicly call for President Biden to step down should ask themselves a simple question: ‘What would happen if he became the Democratic nominee?'” A trickle of public statements of no confidence only weakens a president who has been weakened not just by the debates but by debates about the debates.
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A growing number of House Democrats are voicing concerns about Biden as a 2024 presidential candidate. (Ting Sheng/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
“Undermining a weakened candidate seems like a losing strategy in a presidential election. Applying pressure creates and exacerbates problems rather than solving them. The process of deciding how to move forward is just as important as the decision itself.”
The controversy has divided members of the House Democratic caucus, with some calling for Biden to withdraw from the election, further deepening rifts within the party.
Over the past week, five House Democrats have publicly called on Biden to step aside ahead of his rematch against former President Trump in November.
A House Democratic leadership aide told Fox News Digital on Friday that they expect more people to be added to the list this week.
But Rep. Frederica Wilson, D-Fla., a Biden ally, on Sunday blasted fellow lawmakers who have criticized the president.
“Any ‘leaders’ calling for President Biden to step down need to get their priorities straight and stop disparaging this incredible, genuine leader who has delivered real results for our country,” she said in a statement. “What Democrats need to do is stop listening to these political pundits and focus on what’s at stake in this election – our democracy. This is it.”
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Rep. Ritchie Torres, a Democrat from New York, blasted the “contradictory messaging” from the party. (Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
It’s part of the political minefield the Biden campaign has had to navigate since last month’s CNN presidential debate, where the 81-year-old president’s hoarse voice and sometimes off-base responses exacerbated concerns that he was not a viable candidate to take on Trump in November and raised questions about his eligibility for a second term.
This week will be the longest House Democrats have faced each other and the Capitol media since that debate.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-New York) had little to say about Biden’s debate performance, telling reporters on Friday only that he was committed to ensuring a Democratic victory in November’s presidential election.
“Until the president clearly lays out a path forward in terms of his vision for America at this time, I’m going to refrain from making any comments on the situation at this time other than to say I support the candidate,” Jeffries told reporters on Friday.
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All eyes are on House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, who has publicly supported President Biden. (Getty Images)
House Democrats held a caucus-wide conference call on Sunday afternoon to discuss the future of the election, and four senior Democrats — Reps. Jerry Nadler (D-NY), Mark Takano (D-Calif.), Adam Smith (D-Wash.) and Joe Morrell (D-NY) — reportedly said Biden should step aside.
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However, further confusion arose among the left after the call, when Rep. Don Beyer (D-Virginia), a Democrat, responded to reports that he had also criticized Biden by issuing a statement saying, “I support President Biden. I endorse the Biden-Harris team and look forward to helping them defeat Donald Trump in November. I was proud to host an event with the President in Northern Virginia this week. I will continue to do all I can to support the Biden-Harris campaign in Virginia and across the nation.”
Fox News Digital has reached out to the four lawmakers mentioned on the call for comment.
