US election: 31 Democrats call on Biden to step down from presidential race

31 Democratic lawmakers have publicly urged President Joe Biden to reconsider his bid for re-election in the 2024 presidential race. This call comes amidst mounting concerns about his ability to secure a victory against former President Donald Trump.

The chorus of voices calling for Biden to step aside includes prominent politicians, influential donors, and notable celebrities, all of whom stress the need for a fresh candidate to improve the Democratic Party’s chances in the upcoming election.

Senator Martin Heinrich of New Mexico is the latest to join the call, following Senators Jon Tester of Montana and Peter Welch of Vermont.

Tester, facing a challenging re-election, voiced his concerns via the Daily Montanan, while Welch, in a Washington Post op-ed, argued that Biden should withdraw “for the good of the country.”

On the House side, Representatives Jared Huffman, Marc Veasey, Chuy Garcia, and Mark Pocan issued a joint statement urging Biden to step down.

Individual calls for withdrawal also came from Representatives Sean Casten, Zoe Lofgren, Greg Landsman, and Jim Costa.

High-profile California Representative Adam Schiff expressed “serious concerns” about Biden’s electability in an interview with the Los Angeles Times.

Other House Democrats, including Brittany Pettersen, Mike Levin, Jim Himes, Scott Peters, and Eric Sorensen, have echoed similar sentiments, collectively pushing Biden to reconsider his candidacy.

Hollywood celebrities like George Clooney, Rob Reiner, and Stephen King have publicly voiced their apprehensions, with Clooney penning an op-ed in the New York Times.

Billionaires Mark Pincus, Christy Walton, Michael Novogratz, and Reed Hastings have also urged Biden to withdraw, citing concerns about his ability to defeat Trump.

Media personalities and outlets have joined the fray. MSNBC’s Joe Scarborough suggested Biden should bow out, while major newspapers like The New York Times, The Chicago Tribune, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, and The Boston Globe have all published editorials advocating for Biden’s exit.

Within the circle of political strategists, former Obama advisor David Axelrod labelled Biden’s determination to stay in the race as a “defiant delusion,” while the hosts of the popular podcast, Pod Save America, have questioned Biden’s viability as a candidate.

Longtime Democratic consultant James Carville and former White House deputy director of photography Chandler West have also called for Biden to reconsider his candidacy.

Adding to the mounting pressure are former Democratic politicians like Julian Castro and Tim Ryan.

Castro, a former HUD secretary and 2020 primary candidate, unequivocally stated Biden should withdraw, while Ryan argued in a Newsweek op-ed that Vice President Kamala Harris represents the best path forward for the party. Andrew Yang, another 2020 hopeful, has labelled Biden’s race as “unwinnable.”

Despite these widespread calls, Biden remains resolute. From his beach house in Delaware, where he is recovering from a COVID-19 diagnosis, Biden, on Friday, maintained that he can beat Trump.