House Democrats Call for Biden to Step Aside in 2024 Campaign

House Democratic ranking members are calling for President Joe Biden to step aside from the 2024 campaign, according to sources familiar with a Sunday call led by House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries. The call, filled with deep concern about potential damage to the Democratic ticket and the party’s chances to win back the House majority, saw more lawmakers opposing Biden as the nominee than supporting him.

Among those who opposed Biden were Reps. Mark Takano, Adam Smith, Jim Himes, Joe Morelle, Susan Wild, and Jerry Nadler, while Democratic Reps. Maxine Waters and Bobby Scott spoke in support of him. The concern expressed during the call was that Democrats could lose their chance at a House majority if Biden remains the candidate, with many acknowledging that Vice President Kamala Harris should be the nominee.

“It was pretty brutal,” a senior Democratic aide told CNN about the nearly two-hour call, where no decisions about demands for a White House meeting or sending a letter to Biden were expected before the full Democratic caucus meets on Tuesday. Jeffries has made it clear that members will be allowed to speak their minds and make their own judgments.

Despite the pushback from some House Democrats, Biden, who was visiting battleground Pennsylvania on Sunday, affirmed that the Democratic Party is still behind him with a resounding “yes” when pressed by the press. The situation remains fluid as the party navigates internal discussions and potential changes to the 2024 campaign.