US Democratic House Committee Whip Team Also Says "Biden Resign"

Vice President Harris Mentioned as Alternative Candidate
Meeting on the 9th a Turning Point

Voices calling for President Joe Biden's resignation are growing within the U.S. Democratic Party.

According to The Washington Post (WP) and Politico, during a closed-door Democratic House meeting held on the 7th (local time), a majority of lawmakers urged President Biden to step down.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries held a private video conference that afternoon.

Jerry Nadler (New York), ranking member of the Judiciary Committee, was the first to speak, advocating for President Biden's resignation, and Adam Smith (Washington), ranking member of the Armed Services Committee, also said that time is running short for resignation.

Mark Takano (California), ranking member of the Veterans' Affairs Committee, and Joe Morelle (New York), ranking member of the Administration Committee, also strongly demanded President Biden's resignation. Additionally, Jim Himes (Connecticut), Joe Roffgreen (California), Don Beyer (Virginia), and Rick Larsen expressed concerns about President Biden's reelection.

The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported that the number of House Democrats demanding President Biden's resignation has increased to about 10 members.

CNN, citing sources, reported that the number of lawmakers explicitly stating that President Biden should resign is greater than those saying he should continue the presidential race. Jim Himes and Susan Wild (Pennsylvania) also urged resignation, it added.

During the meeting, concerns were raised that if President Biden continues the presidential race, the Democratic Party might lose the chance to regain the House majority. The dominant opinion favored Vice President Kamala Harris as a replacement. However, some argued that discussions about alternative candidates were premature. Foreign media predicted that no decision would be made before the full House convenes on the 9th.

The meeting initially began with expressions of support for President Biden, but by the end, voices expressing concern about his chances for reelection emerged.

WSJ anticipated that the full House Democratic meeting scheduled for the morning of the 9th would be a turning point regarding resignation.

While Senate Democrats publicly support President Biden, concerns are also emerging. According to sources, Senator Mark Warner (Virginia) recently began contacting other Senate Democrats to discuss President Biden's reelection prospects.

In an interview with NBC News that day, Representative Adam Schiff said that if President Biden cannot win overwhelmingly, he should hand over the candidacy. He also added that Vice President Harris could overwhelmingly defeat former President Trump.

According to WP, so far, five lawmakers have publicly called for President Biden's resignation: Lloyd Doggett (Texas), Ra?l Grijalva (Arizona), Seth Moulton (Massachusetts), Mike Quigley (Illinois), and Angie Craig (Minnesota). Those who demanded resignation during the closed-door meeting were excluded from this count. Additionally, 18 lawmakers expressed concerns.