Washington DC, USA.- US Democratic lawmakers met behind closed doors for nearly two hours but failed to reach a consensus on whether to support President Joe Biden’s decision to press ahead with his re-election bid.
House Democrats met after Biden defiantly rejected calls from a handful of lawmakers to withdraw his candidacy for the Nov. 5 election following a disastrous debate last month with rival Donald Trump.
Asked if Democrats were all on the same page after the meeting, Rep. Steve Cohen said, “We’re not even on the same page.”
There were no further public defections after a half-dozen House members called on Biden, 81, to step aside and allow someone else to face Republican Trump, 78.
“He needs to resign. He can’t win,” said Rep. Mike Quigley, one of the lawmakers who have urged Biden to end his campaign, as he entered the House Democratic Caucus on Tuesday. “My colleagues have to acknowledge that.”
While the discussion failed to bridge the intraparty divide, many Democratic lawmakers told reporters after the meeting that they support Biden or would do so if he is formally nominated at the party convention in August.
Democratic lawmakers, especially in the House of Representatives, are concerned that Biden’s struggles could hurt his chances of winning the majority in that chamber, which could serve as the only bulwark should Trump win.
Republicans hold a 220-213 majority in the House, and Democrats face a much tougher path to protecting their 51-49 majority in the Senate as they are defending multiple seats in Republican-leaning states.
Even some supporters of Biden staying the course have expressed concern about his chances since his shaky performance in the June 27 debate, which raised fresh questions about his ability to mount a successful campaign and sustain a grueling job for another 4 1/2 years.
The growing divide within the party has Biden’s campaign scrambling to contain further defections.
The president told MSNBC by phone on Monday that “I’m not going anywhere,” a message he repeated to donors in a private call later in the day, according to two sources on the call.
Biden also spoke with members of the Congressional Black Caucus, whose endorsements could help bolster his campaign given the importance of black voters to the party’s base. The group’s chairman, Rep. Steve Horsford, said he remained supportive of him as a candidate.
But even senior lawmakers who support Biden said he must do more to allay voters’ concerns about his abilities.
Some Democrats compared Tuesday’s discussion to a family fight. Rep. Lou Correa urged his colleagues to continue to voice their opinions, adding: “This is a democracy.”
Others expressed frustration that the party was focusing on Biden’s flaws rather than uniting against Trump.
“It’s a circular firing squad. It’s the stupidest thing I’ve ever seen,” said Rep. Juan Vargas, who said he supported Biden.
Senate Democrats are expected to discuss Biden during their weekly meeting.
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