Joe Kalil, Rich Johnson, Jackie Koppel
4 hours ago
(NewsNation) — As President Joe Biden campaigned in Pennsylvania on Sunday, House Democrats discussed in public and private the possibility of Biden withdrawing from the race, while one Senate Democrat canceled a meeting with a colleague ahead of schedule.
A source familiar with Sunday's call told NewsNation that several senior House Democrats told Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries they would prefer President Joe Biden withdraw from the presidential race.
Most said they support Vice President Kamala Harris taking over the race, but some did not name anyone specifically as a leader among the Democratic candidates.
Many House Democrats want Biden to step down
NewsNation has learned four lawmakers have called for Biden to resign: Rep. Jerry Nadler of New York, Rep. Adam Smith (D-Wash.), Rep. Mark Takano (D-Calif.) and Rep. Joe Morrell (D-New York).
“They were part of a general feeling that something else needed to be done,” a source told The Hill, which first reported the names of the four House Democratic leaders.
NewsNation has also learned that Smith, the top Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee, is set to release a statement on Monday offering his thoughts on Biden's future.
At least five other House Democrats have publicly called on the president to drop out of the race: Reps. Lloyd Doggett (Texas), Mike Quigley (Illinois), Raul Grijalva (Arizona), Seth Moulton (Massachusetts) and Angie Craig (Minnesota).
A top House Democratic leader also told NewsNation that at least four female House Democrats are “seriously considering” asking Biden to step down, which she said could happen after House Democrats meet on Tuesday.
Senator Warner backs off plans for closed-door Senate meeting
Meanwhile, Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA) has no plans to privately discuss the nomination with colleagues. A source familiar with Warner's thinking told NewsNation that no meetings were ever scheduled, only talk of holding one. The source said Warner was so unhappy that the idea was leaked to reporters that any talk of a meeting died down by Sunday night.
If Senate Democrats want to discuss Biden's future, that would happen at a regularly scheduled caucus lunch on Tuesday, according to the sources. Warner strongly believes Biden needs to discuss the future of the Democratic nominee, the sources said.
Biden's campaign continues to be busy
Biden campaigned in the key battleground state of Pennsylvania on Sunday, attending a church service in Philadelphia and a rally in Harrisburg.
“People need to be reminded of who he is, what he has done and what he is capable of,” said one woman at the church event.
“Regardless of age, he values justice, freedom and law. And he has experience. Experience is the best teacher in the world,” added another church member.
Biden has a busy schedule ahead, including a NATO summit in Washington starting Tuesday, where he is scheduled to hold a press conference on Thursday, his first with reporters since a debate with former President Donald Trump that drew calls for Biden to resign.
Biden is scheduled to visit Austin, Texas on Monday, July 15, where he will deliver a speech marking the 60th anniversary at the Lyndon Baines Johnson Presidential Library.Number July 15 is the anniversary of the Civil Rights Act. It is also the first day of the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee.
Biden ended the week by speaking at the NAACP national convention in Las Vegas and the UnidosUS conference, one of the largest gatherings of Latinos in the United States.
Biden defenders continue to speak out
Jeffries said he has heard colleagues urge Biden to drop out of the race but wants the president to remain the Democratic nominee. Two other senior House members, James Clyburn of South Carolina and former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, have also expressed confidence in Biden.
But Speaker Pelosi told MSNBC last week that it was “legitimate” to ask both Biden and Trump “is this an episode or is this a symptom?”
Sen. John Fetterman campaigned with Biden in Pennsylvania on Sunday, telling the crowd in Harrisburg, “Of course, he's my supporter. We're going to beat Trump in the election.”
Dmitri Melhorn, a Democratic strategist and aide to LinkedIn founder Reid Hoffman, also said he supports Biden. “Joe Biden is our candidate. He's our best chance of beating Trump. A mass movement to oust him is not going to help anything, and it needs to end as quickly as possible,” Melhorn told NewsNation.
