Five House Democrats ask Biden to stand aside as dam begins to break

Five House Democrats asked President Joe Biden to suspend his reelection campaign on Friday, with all arguing that Biden cannot win due to the light shed on “senior moments” instead of his capabilities and accomplishments.

“If the upcoming election is a referendum on past performance, future promises and character, I have every confidence Biden would win,” Casten wrote in an op-ed to the Chicago Tribune. “But politics, like life, isn’t fair. And as long as this election is instead litigated over which candidate is more likely to be held accountable for public gaffes and ‘senior moments,’ I believe that Biden is not only going to lose but is also uniquely incapable of shifting that conversation.”

Shortly after Casten’s op-ed, four other Democrats — Reps. Jared Huffman (D-CA), Marc Veasey (D-TX), Chuy Garcia (D-IL), and Mark Pocan (D-WI) — also called on Biden to pass the torch in a joint statement. They said they appreciated Biden’s work over the last four years and in the decades spent in other political offices, but defeating former President Donald Trump is a top priority.

“At this point, however, we must face the reality that widespread public concerns about your age and fitness are jeopardizing what should be a winning campaign,” the lawmakers said.

“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 lawmakers continued.

Casten, Garcia, Huffman, Pocan, and Veasey’s statements make 26 congressional Democrats who are calling on Biden to drop out of the presidential contest. Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA) and Sen. Jon Tester (D-MT) called on Biden to withdraw on Thursday.

Veasey’s decision to ask Biden to pass the torch is a surprise considering he is a member of the Congressional Black Caucus, a group of lawmakers that have been a strong ally to the president over the years. Biden spoke to the caucus last week, with many stating that their coalition was standing behind Biden for his reelection campaign.

Biden and his campaign are adamant that the president is not standing aside and will be the Democratic nominee, but there are reports that he is more receptive to the idea of allowing a new candidate to step forward. The campaign has denied this.

All five lawmakers spoke to Biden’s legacy in their statements, with Casten writing that the president has earned a departure with “dignity and decency.” His comments mirror those written by his colleagues in their own messages to the president.

“It is with a heavy heart and much personal reflection that I am therefore calling on Biden to pass the torch to a new generation,” Casten said. “To manage an exit with all the dignity and decency that has guided his half-century of public service. To cement his legacy as the president who saved our democracy in 2020 and handed it off to trusted hands in 2024 who could carry his legacy forward.”

“It breaks my heart to say it, but Biden is no longer up for that job,” he added.