List of House Democrats calling for Biden to withdraw grows ahead of pivotal press conference
Two more House Democrats on Thursday joined the growing chorus of congressional lawmakers publicly calling on President Biden to withdraw from the 2024 race, increasing pressure on the president hours ahead of his highly anticipated press conference.
Reps. Greg Stanton (D-Ariz.) and Ed Case (D-Hawaii), in two separate statements Thursday, noted their public calls to Biden do not reflect how they feel about his work in his first White House term, while pointing to the stakes of the November election.
Stanton said he was proud to have endorsed President Biden in the 2020 election, but now believes the Democratic Party must have a nominee “who can effectively make the case” against former President Trump, whom he argued poses a threat to the rule of law in the U.S.
“For the sake of American democracy and to continue to make progress on our priorities, I believe it is time for the President to step aside as our nominee,” Stanton wrote in a statement on X Thursday.
“Perhaps President Biden’s most defining legacy, though, is as a fierce defender of American democracy,” he added, “A second Trump term would be devastating to the Republic and the stakes in this election could not be higher.”
With Stanton and Case, there are now 14 House Democrats calling on Biden to step aside. The president has doubled down in recent days on his intent to stay in the race as calls for him to withdraw continue to mount.
In a letter to congressional Democrats earlier this week, Biden rejected the growing chorus of calls and urged them to unite behind his candidacy.
Case said in a statement that his “guidepost is what is the best way forward for our country” before calling on the president to step aside.
"I do not believe President Biden should continue his candidacy for re-election as President,” he wrote, noting that his statement does not have anything to do with the administration’s record.
“This is solely about the future, about the President’s ability to continue in the most difficult job in the world for another four-year term,” he added.
He did not suggest who should take Biden’s place.
“As to what candidate that should be, there are various paths to that decision. They are difficult and uncertain,” he said. “But no more difficult and uncertain than the current path, nor any reason to stay on this path, which I do not believe is the best path forward for our country.”
Rep. Brad Schneider (D-Ill.) also called on Biden to step down earlier Thursday, stating it is “time to pass the torch.”
The other detractors are Democratic Reps. Lloyd Doggett (Texas), Raúl Grijalva (Ariz.), Seth Moulton (Mass.), Mike Quigley (Ill.), Angie Craig (Minn.), Mikie Sherrill (N.J.), Adam Smith (Wash.), Pat Ryan (N.Y.), Earl Blumenauer (Ore.) and Rep. Hillary Scholten (Mich.).
Sen. Peter Welch (Vt.) is the only Democratic senator to make the same call.
Biden is slated to hold a rare press conference Thursday evening as part of the NATO summit in Washington this week. Political pundits have noted the event is seen as a key test as he attempts to show voters, lawmakers, and other Democrats he is capable of running for reelection, defeating Trump and carrying out a second term.