At least four senior House Democrats told House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries on Sunday that they are calling on President Joe Biden to step down from the presidential race, according to several sources with knowledge of the discussion on the private call.
Reps. Jerry Nadler, Mark Takano, Joe Morelle and Adam Smith stated Biden should step aside and no longer continue his campaign, sources told ABC News.
This is notable — it means the top Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee, the ranking member of Veteran Affairs, the highest Democrat on the Administration Committee and the ranking member of the Armed Services Committee have privately conveyed Biden should step aside.
Rep. Don Beyer of Virginia, whose wife was a major Biden fundraiser in 2020, expressed some concerns about the president’s path forward, according to multiple sources. A spokesman posted on X that Beyer “supports President Biden and said so on this call and any reporting to the contrary is a misunderstanding of what he said and what he believes.”
U.S. President Joe Biden greets supporters and volunteers during a campaign stop at a Biden-Harris campaign office in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, on July 7, 2024. (Photo by SAUL LOEB / AFP)
Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images
Jeffries did not express a position, according to one person on the call. That person tells ABC News the Democratic Leader said that he would engage with the caucus throughout the week, starting with these senior Democrats to solicit views on the path forward.
ABC News has reached out to reps for Beyer, Nadler, Takano, Morelle and Smith for comment.
When reached on Sunday, a Biden campaign adviser said the “simple math” shows that the vast majority of the caucus, including House Minority Leader Jeffries and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, is on Biden’s side.
The campaign says they aren’t backing down and they are “ready to fight.”
In a surprising turn of events, sources have revealed that senior House Democrats are privately urging Rep. Hakeem Jeffries to ask President Joe Biden to step aside. This news comes as a shock to many, as Biden has only been in office for a little over a year.
According to sources close to the situation, the House Democrats are concerned about Biden’s declining approval ratings and his handling of various issues, including the ongoing crisis at the southern border and the recent withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan. They believe that Biden’s leadership is faltering and that it may be time for a change.
Rep. Jeffries, who serves as the chairman of the House Democratic Caucus, is reportedly being approached by his colleagues to broach the subject with Biden. While it is unclear how Jeffries will respond to these requests, it is clear that there is growing discontent within the Democratic Party about Biden’s performance as president.
It is important to note that these discussions are happening behind closed doors and have not been confirmed by any official sources. However, if true, this could signal a significant shift in the party’s stance towards Biden and could have far-reaching implications for his presidency.
Biden has faced criticism from both Democrats and Republicans in recent months, with many questioning his ability to lead effectively. His approval ratings have been steadily declining, and there is growing concern about his ability to unite the country and address the pressing issues facing the nation.
It remains to be seen how this situation will unfold, but one thing is certain: the pressure is mounting on President Biden to prove himself to his party and the American people. Only time will tell if he will be able to rise to the occasion or if calls for him to step aside will continue to grow louder.
