Washington – “We are very concerned about the health of our employees,” several House Democratic leaders said Sunday. President Biden His reelection campaign Recent debate performancesMultiple sources told CBS News.
“We are committed to protecting the rights of our people,” Reps. Jerry Nadler of New York, Mark Takano of California, Adam Smith of Washington and Joe Morrell of New York said during a Zoom call with House Minority Leader Gregory I. Hakeem Jeffries According to a person on the call and three others familiar with the call, Trump said Biden should drop out of the race.
Reps. Jim Himes of Connecticut, Don Beyer of Virginia and Jamie Raskin of Maryland also expressed skepticism about the president’s chances of winning the election, according to lawmakers on the call and a person familiar with the meeting.
Beyer’s office reaffirmed its support for Biden on Sunday, despite initial reports that he was part of a group calling on the president to step down. After news of the call broke, Beyer also issued a statement backing Biden.
“I support the Biden-Harris campaign and look forward to helping defeat Donald Trump in November,” Beyer said. “I was proud to host an event with the President in Northern Virginia this week, and I will continue to do all I can to support the Biden-Harris campaign in Virginia and across the nation.”
CBS News reached out to all lawmakers who, according to sources, have questioned the president’s chances of winning or said he should withdraw from the election.
A spokesman for Jefferies declined to comment on the call.
Rep. Susan Wild, who represents Pennsylvania’s 7th Congressional District, said in a statement that she “expressed the same concerns shared by people across the country about President Biden’s ability to win as the top candidate.”
“It is not in the country’s interest to have this difficult process proceed amid leaks and rumors,” Wilde said. “The Congressional Democratic Caucus is an incredibly diverse group, with many opinions about what should happen next. That’s why I’ve always felt it’s important that people can speak their minds in a private forum so we can all benefit from the thoughts of others. In the coming days and weeks, I will remain operational as I have always done, continuing these important conversations while putting the interests of my constituents first.”
Rep. Richard Neal of Massachusetts said in a statement, “The bottom line is that President Biden defeated President Trump in 2020, and now, backed by a historic record of success, will win again in November. President Trump is a liar, a convicted felon, and has only ever looked out for his own interests. The American people know it. As I said, Republicans pose the greatest threat to our democracy, economy, and the integrity of our people, and the President knows what’s at stake. I fully support the President and am fighting tooth and nail to defeat these threats.”
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The meeting came after House Democratic leaders held a conference call last week amid a trickle of calls from Democrats for him to step down. Congressman Angie CraigRepresenting a frontline district in Minnesota, he became the latest House Democrat to call on the president to drop out of the race, and attention is expected to be focused on the president’s support on Capitol Hill when lawmakers return from recess this week.
Biden, meanwhile, has appeared defiant in recent days, saying he intends to continue campaigning despite concerns from some within his party. interview Asked by ABC News host George Stephanopoulos on Friday whether he would resign if congressional leaders asked him to do so, Biden brushed off the question, saying, “They’re not going to do that.”
The president said he spoke with Governor Jeffries for an hour and spent “hours” with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer. The president also met with Democratic governors at the White House last week.
“If the Almighty God came down and said, ‘Joe, step aside,’ I would step aside,” the president said. “The Almighty God is not going to come down.”
Meanwhile, Sen. Mark Warner of Virginia canceled a meeting he had planned for Monday with the Senate Democratic caucus to discuss a presidential run, a source with knowledge of the senator’s thinking confirmed to CBS News.
Finn Gomez contributed reporting.
