Democrats facing a tough reelection battle in November avoided saying whether Biden should be the party’s presidential nominee after he was heavily criticized for his performance in Thursday night’s debate.
“The president can make his own decisions about his campaign,” said Rep. Gabe Vazquez of Minnesota.
““We’re going to continue to focus on our districts, and I’m in Congress to make sure they’re represented,” he explained when asked whether Biden should remain on the Democratic nomination list.
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From left: Top House Democratic candidates Steven Horsford of Nevada, Pat Ryan of New York, Don Davis of North Carolina and Gabe Vazquez of New Mexico declined to say whether President Biden should remain the Democratic nominee. (Getty Images)
Vásquez’s district is rated “Democrat-leaning” by the nonpartisan Political Handicapper. Cook Political ReportThe Democrat is a rising star in the legislature.
Biden sounded hoarse, soft-spoken and confused at times during Thursday night’s debate, and by its end, reports were emerging that Democrats were panicking, with hosts on CNN and MSNBC acknowledging that the president’s presentation had not been very good.
“There’s a rush,” Rep. Pat Ryan of New York said when asked if Biden should be the Democratic nominee. His district remains highly competitive in 2024, and Cook rated his district as “Democrat-leaning.”
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Horsford has been supporting President Biden’s campaign in Nevada. (Getty Images)
Rep. Steven Horsford (D-Nevada), who has campaigned alongside Biden, declined to answer Fox News Digital’s question about whether Biden should be the Democratic nominee. Horsford’s Nevada district has historically swung favorably for both parties and is currently rated “Democratic.”
“I’m going to vote,” said Rep. Don Davis of North Carolina when asked if Biden should remain the Democratic nominee. Davis’s district in North Carolina is also a “close Democratic race,” Cook said. Davis is also a newcomer to the House, meaning he doesn’t have the rank or name recognition of long-serving members of Congress.
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Davis is in the midst of a tough re-election battle in North Carolina. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)
All four Democrats are on the National Republican Congressional Committee’s (NRCC) target list of 37 seats it is aiming to retake in November. The list was first released in March 2023, and NRCC Chairman Richard Hudson (RN.C) said “these House Democrats should be shaking with fear.”
Though not particularly vulnerable districts, some other Democrats have refused to say whether Biden should return as their party’s presidential nominee in 2024.
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Pete Aguilar, chairman of the House Democratic Caucus, declined to answer questions about Biden’s status as a presidential candidate. (Samuel Corum/Getty Images)
“I’m talking to my colleagues,” House Democratic Caucus Chairman Pete Aguilar (D-Calif.) said when asked whether Biden should remain the Democratic nominee.
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When Fox News Digital asked the committee chair whether he thought Biden was mentally fit to serve after his performance in Thursday’s debate, he responded, “I appreciate you being here.”
Democratic Rep. Joaquin Castro of Texas, who similarly faces no major challenge to reelection, also declined to respond to questions about whether he should be the Democratic nominee in November or whether Biden is mentally competent to serve in the role.
Fox News Digital’s Aubrie Spady contributed to this report.
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