Democratic Representative Lloyd Doggett of Texas became the first House Democrat to call on President Joe Biden to drop out of the presidential election following his poor debate performance against former president Donald Trump last week.
"President Biden has continued to run substantially behind Democratic senators in key states and in most polls has trailed Donald Trump. I had hoped that the debate would provide some momentum to change that. It did not. Instead of reassuring voters, the President failed to effectively defend his many accomplishments and expose Trump's many lies," he wrote in a statement, reported by The Texas Tribune's Matthew Choi.
Newsweek reached out to the Biden campaign for comment via email.
The Context
Biden's debate performance sparked panic among Democrats, as the 81-year-old president has faced questions from many voters about his advanced years. Biden sounded hoarse and appeared to mumble through several of the questions, which did little to quell concerns about his age.
Some Democrats have called for him to step aside from the 2024 presidential race, though Doggett is the first sitting member of Congress to call for him to withdraw.
However, most high-profile Democrats say the president is staying in the race, with most elected Democrats showing support for him. Vice President Kamala Harris, for instance, has said she is focused on his performance as president, downplaying the debate as a "slow start" but "strong" finish in an interview with CNN.
Doggett, 77, has been serving in Congress since 1995.
What We Know
Doggett, a progressive Democrat who represents Austin in the House of Representatives, praised Biden's record in his statement on Tuesday, writing that he has "achieved much for our country and abroad."
He warned that Democrats' "overriding consideration must be who has the best hope of saving our democracy from an authoritarian takeover by a criminal and his gang" and that the Supreme Court's ruling giving presidents immunity on official actions could "usher America into a long, dark authoritarian era unchecked by either the courts or a submissive Republican Congress."
"Too much is at stake to risk a Trump victory—too great a risk to assume that what could not be turned around in a year, what was not turned around in the debate, can be turned around now," he wrote. "President Biden saved democracy by delivering us from Trump in 2020. He must not deliver us to Trump in 2024."
Doggett wrote that he does not make the decision to publicly call for his withdrawal lightly "nor does it in any way diminish my respect for all that President Biden achieved."
"Recognizing that, unlike Trump, President Biden's first commitment has always been to our country, not himself, I am hopeful that he will make the painful and difficult decision to withdraw. I respectfully call on him to do so," he wrote.
Views
Doggett's statement drew a wave of reaction on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter.
"Serious cracks in the dam now," posted political journalist Sam Stein.
"I think it's likely we'll see a different reaction from Biden if/when the dam breaks wrt elected Dems calling him to step down, with elected governors probably carrying the most weight," responded G. Elliott Morris, editorial director of data analytics at ABC News.
Activist Olivia Julianna posted, "This may be Biden's 'LBJ Moment' but the lesson he should be taking is run towards the fight, not away from it. I respectfully disagree with Rep Lloyd Doggett, who is 77 years old and is seeking re-election to the U.S. House where he has been a member since 1995."
"I'm so proud that it is a Texas Congressman who is the first person in the Congress to call for the obvious. Everyone dismisses Texas but we are full of great and courageous citizens. Lloyd Doggett will go down as a hero," posted Sara Spector, an attorney and political pundit.
What's Next
Despite calls for Biden to drop out of the race, high-profile Democrats have said he will remain the Democratic nominee and run against Donald Trump in November. The Democratic Convention starts August 19, and polls show a tight race.
Update 7/2/2024 1:35 p.m. ET: This article was updated with additional information.
Update 7/2/2024 4:08 p.m. ET: This article was updated with additional information.
Uncommon Knowledge
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
About the writer
Andrew Stanton is a Newsweek weekend reporter based in Maine. His role is reporting on U.S. politics and social issues. ... Read more
