Concern among congressional Democrats over President Joe Biden remaining their party’s 2024 nominee is not limited to lawmakers in competitive districts but extends to representatives of deep blue pockets across the country.
In the past few days, lawmakers from states like New York, California, Oregon, and Vermont have voiced genuine concerns about Biden, with some even calling for him to step aside. This signals that the divisions within the party regarding Biden are escalating.
Democratic Rep. Becca Balint of Vermont expressed her concerns, stating, 'I share the same concerns of so many Vermonters on the question of whether the President is the best candidate to defeat Trump. We need honest, serious conversation about the best path forward. Our very democracy is at stake.'
Balint's statement follows Vermont Sen. Peter Welch's call for Biden to step aside, making him the first Democratic senator to do so.
Democratic Rep. Ritchie Torres of New York, a member of the Congressional Black Caucus, recently changed his stance and publicly voiced worries that Biden's candidacy could harm Democrats' chances of regaining control of the House of Representatives. Torres emphasized the need for a 'serious reckoning with the down-ballot effect of whomever we nominate.'
Similarly, Democratic Reps. Scott Peters and Jared Huffman of California have also expressed reservations about Biden remaining the party's nominee.
