A growing number of Democrats in the U.S. Congress are calling on Democratic President Joe Biden to end his re-election bid after the 81-year-old incumbent’s halting debate performance against Republican rival Donald Trump.
While many lawmakers have expressed unease with Biden’s continued candidacy – and others have steadfastly backed the incumbent’s plans – here is a list of those who have publicly and directly called for Biden to not run again.
REPRESENTATIVE ADAM SMITH
Smith told a closed-door meeting of House Democrats on Sunday that he believed it was time for Biden to end his campaign, according to a source familiar with his remarks. He underlined the point in an interview with CNN on Monday, saying, “I think we need a different choice if we’re going to be able to beat Donald Trump.”
REPRESENTATIVE LLOYD DOGGETT
Doggett, a U.S. House of Representatives member from a safe Democratic district in Texas, was the first congressional Democrat to call for Biden to step down.
“President Biden has continued to run substantially behind Democratic senators in key states and in most polls has trailed Donald Trump,” Doggett said in a statement. “I had hoped that the debate would provide some momentum to change that. It did not.”
REPRESENTATIVE RAUL GRIJALVA
Grijalva, a liberal who represents a district in southern Arizona along the border with Mexico, told the New York Times it was time for Biden to end his campaign, saying, “If he’s the candidate, I’m going to support him, but I think that this is an opportunity to look elsewhere.” Grijalva representatives did not respond to requests for comment.
REPRESENTATIVE SETH MOULTON
Moulton praised Biden’s service to the country but called on him to follow in “George Washington’s footsteps and step aside to let new leaders rise up and run against Donald Trump,” the Democrat representing a Massachusetts district told a local radio show.
REPRESENTATIVE MIKE QUIGLEY
A moderate from Illinois, Quigley told MSNBC that Biden must step aside and “let someone else do this” or risk “utter catastrophe.”
REPRESENTATIVE ANGIE CRAIG
Craig, whose district is considered a top priority for Republicans to win back in November, was the first incumbent from a highly competitive district to call for Biden to step down.
“Given what I saw and heard from the president during last week’s debate in Atlanta, coupled with the lack of a forceful response from the president himself following that debate, I do not believe that the president can effectively campaign and win against Donald Trump,” Craig said.
