Nevada Democrats split on Biden exit

Democrats‘ intraparty squabble about President Joe Biden’s shaky bid for reelection is widening as two Nevada representatives split on the president’s electability.

While Rep. Steven Horsford (D-NV), the powerful head of the Congressional Black Caucus, remains steadfast in his support for Biden, one of his Democratic colleagues is sounding uneasy.

“I expressed serious concerns after the debate, and I still have them,” Rep. Susie Lee (D-NV) told the Nevada Independent on Monday. “[Biden] needs to prove to the American public that he can do the job for four more years.”

Both Horsford’s and Lee’s seats are considered competitive, with both representatives clinching a win in 2022 by under 5%. Lee’s district is especially vulnerable to Republican takeback after she retained her seat in a tight race last election cycle by fewer than 10,000 votes.

In an open letter to Democrats on Monday, Biden urged his party to get behind his bid for reelection.

“Any weakening of resolve or lack of clarity about the task ahead only helps Trump and hurts us,” Biden wrote as he fields calls from his own party to step down as the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee. “It’s time to come together, move forward as a unified party, and defeat Donald Trump.

Biden rebuked critics’ calls for him to step aside, saying that doing so would subvert democratic elections.

“We had a democratic nomination process and the voters have spoken clearly and decisively. I received over fourteen million votes,” the president wrote. “Do we now just say this process didn’t matter? That the voters don’t have a say?”

Horsford’s defense of Biden’s tightening grasp on his reelection campaign echoed the letter’s argument.

“President Joe Biden is the nominee and has been selected by millions of voters across this country, including voters here in Nevada,” Horsford posted Monday.

Meanwhile, Lee’s concerns about Biden’s mental fitness don’t mean she has completely abandoned the president.

“I do know that President Biden has brought America historic infrastructure investments, new jobs, and lower prescription drug and healthcare costs,” she told the Nevada Independent. “Trump is a 34-time convicted felon who helped overturn Roe v. Wade and is a threat to our democracy, national security, and Nevadans’ fundamental rights.”

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Biden won Nevada by under 3% in 2020. The latest polling shows former President Donald Trump leading Biden in the swing state by 5%.

The Washington Examiner reached out to Lee’s and Horsford’s offices for comment.