PHOENIX — Rep. Raul Grijalva on Wednesday called on Joe Biden to withdraw from the presidential race, becoming the second House Democrat to publicly call for Biden to withdraw.
Grijalva told The New York Times that he would continue to support Biden if he remains the Democratic presidential nominee, but added that it was time to consider other options.
“If he were the nominee, I would support him, but I think this is an opportunity to look for other candidates,” Grijalva said in an interview. “What he needs to do is take responsibility for keeping that seat, and part of that responsibility is to withdraw from this race.”
Why are Democrats calling for Biden to drop out of the presidential race?
Pressure has been building for Biden to make a decision about his future since he stumbled over his answers during last week's CNN presidential debate, raising questions about his mental state.
Biden vowed Wednesday to continue his campaign despite criticism from some in his party.
“I want to say this as clearly as I can, as simply as I can, as bluntly as I can: I'm running. No one's trying to get rid of me,” Biden said on a conference call with his reelection campaign staff. “I'm not resigning. I'm going to fight this campaign to the end, and we're going to win.”
Still, there are growing signs that support for Biden among Democrats in Congress is eroding fast.
Rep. Lloyd Doggett of Texas on Tuesday became the first sitting Democrat to call for Biden to withdraw.
Rep. Jim Clyburn, a longtime friend and confidant of Mr. Biden, said he supports holding a “mini-primary” in the run-up to next month's Democratic National Convention if Mr. Biden drops out of the race. Clyburn, a South Carolina Democrat, floated the idea that could lay the groundwork for an alternative delegate package during a planned virtual Democratic roll call ahead of a more formal party convention that's set to begin Aug. 19 in Chicago.
“The process that's already in place can be adapted into a mini-primary, and I support that,” Clyburn told CNN.
He said Vice President Kamala Harris and state governors could also join the list, “because it would be fair to everybody. … If she becomes the nominee, she's going to need a running mate. And she needs a strong running mate.”
Clyburn, a veteran lawmaker and former member of the House leadership team, said he had never personally seen the president behave like he did on stage during last week's debate.
“What we saw last Thursday night is concerning,” Clyburn said.
Who is Raul Grijalva?
Grijalva is Arizona's longest serving incumbent legislator and was first elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2002 after beginning his career in public service as a community organizer in Tucson.
His career includes 12 years on the Tucson Unified School District Board of Trustees and 15 years on the Pima County Board of Supervisors.
Grijalva, considered the state's most liberal congressman, is running unopposed in the upcoming Democratic primary for his 12th term.
His district, which stretches across most of the Arizona-Mexico border and includes parts of Cochise, Maricopa, Pinal, Santa Cruz and Yuma counties, has long been a Democratic stronghold.
Grijalva announced in April that he had been diagnosed with an unspecified form of cancer.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
