The interview with Rep. Lloyd Doggett can be viewed on CNN's “Anderson Cooper 360” at 8 pm ET.
Washington
CNN
—
Democratic Rep. Lloyd Doggett of Texas on Tuesday became the first sitting Democrat to call on President Joe Biden to drop out of the presidential race, marking a big moment for Democrats as Doggett publicly said what many elected officials had privately speculated.
“I represent the heart of the district once represented by Lyndon Johnson, who, under very different circumstances, made the difficult decision to withdraw,” Doggett said in a statement. “President Biden should do the same.”
Doggett's comments increase pressure on the president and his team, who have been trying to quell concerns within the party following Biden's disappointing performance in last week's debate with former President Donald Trump, and could encourage other candidates to follow suit.
In calling for Biden to step down, Doggett said the president could help lead a new generation of leaders toward achieving the party's ultimate goal: defeating Trump.
“Unlike President Trump, President Biden knows his first commitment will always be to our country, not himself, and I expect him to make the painful and difficult decision to withdraw,” Doggett said. “I respectfully urge him to do so.”
Earlier, Illinois Democratic Rep. Mike Quigley had signaled an openness to becoming the party's presidential nominee instead of Biden.
“I think his four years are one of the greatest presidencies of our lifetimes, but I think he has to be true to himself,” Quigley told CNN's “This Morning” with Casey Hunt. “This is a decision he has to make.”
“We have to be honest and acknowledge that it was more than just a bad night, but out of respect and understanding for President Joe Biden, a very proud man who has given us 50 years of extraordinary service, I'm not going to say anything more than that,” he added.
Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, a strong supporter of Biden, said on MSNBC that the president should take part in multiple interviews as people evaluate him.
“I think it's essential for them to do that,” Pelosi told MSNBC's Andrea Mitchell on Tuesday.
The former chair stressed that it was Biden's decision whether to step down and said he had heard “mixed” reactions to the debate from donors and others in the Democratic network.
“The question of whether this is an episode or a symptom is a legitimate one,” Pelosi said, but added that the same question should be asked of Trump because of the number of lies he lied about during the debate.
Meanwhile, Democratic Rep. Jim Clyburn of South Carolina, a key Biden ally, told MSNBC he still supports Biden as his first choice, but added that he would back Vice President Kamala Harris if Biden drops out of the Democratic presidential nomination.
Asked what he would do if Biden pulled out, Clyburn said, “If Biden does step down, I'll support her,” before adding, “This party should never do anything to alienate Harris.”
But Clyburn reiterated his support for Biden. “I hope the pairing remains Biden-Harris. We'll see what happens after the next election,” he said.
Many more Democrats are voicing concerns behind the scenes.
While the Biden campaign and White House insist the president will continue to campaign and that Biden's debate performance was not so terrible that it should tarnish his legacy, lawmakers across the party are beginning to share concerns about Biden's continued hold on the top spot.
“There is a large and growing group of House Democrats who are concerned about the president's candidacy. They represent a broad cross-section of our caucus. We are deeply concerned about the president's trajectory and his chances of winning. We want to give the president the space to make a decision,” a House Democrat told CNN. [to step aside] But if he doesn't, we will become increasingly vocal about our concerns.”
This story has been updated with additional developments.
