On Friday, four additional House Democrats urged President Joe Biden to end his re-election campaign, increasing the pressure on him following the conclusion of the Republican National Convention. Representatives Jared Huffman of California, Marc Veasey of Texas, Mark Pocan of Wisconsin, and Jesus “Chuy” Garcia of Illinois collectively sent a letter to Biden, suggesting it was time for him to “pass the torch to a new generation of Democratic leaders.”
The letter highlighted concerns about Biden’s age and fitness, suggesting these perceptions could jeopardize a potentially successful campaign. “These perceptions may not be fair, but they have hardened in the aftermath of last month’s debate and are now unlikely to change,” they wrote. “We believe the most responsible and patriotic thing you can do in this moment is to step aside as our nominee while continuing to lead our party from the White House.”
The group of representatives includes a mix of progressive and moderate Democrats, with Pocan and Garcia identified as progressives, and Veasey and Huffman as moderates. Huffman had recently organized a letter to the Democratic National Committee (DNC) seeking to delay a planned virtual roll call vote, which was ultimately postponed until after August 1.
Representative Sean Casten of Illinois also contributed to the growing chorus of calls for Biden to step aside by publishing an opinion piece in The Chicago Tribune earlier on Friday.
To date, over 20 House Democrats and two Senate Democrats have publicly urged Biden to abandon his re-election effort, advocating for another candidate to become the party’s nominee.
