President Biden's catastrophic performance at the presidential debate has sparked panic among the Democratic Party’s hierarchy, with key players said to be mulling how to get him to abandon his re-election bid.
The situation has plunged the party into crisis and threatens to drive a wedge between Biden loyalists and elected officials in swing districts ahead of next month's Democratic National Convention in Chicago.
Biden's top campaign aides have been working damage control with major donors, while the White House – and Biden himself – remain adamant he is the right man to lead the party against former President Donald Trump, the presumptive GOP nominee.
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President Biden stands at his podium during the first presidential debate of the 2024 elections between himself and former president Donald Trump at CNN's studios in Atlanta, Georgia, on Thursday, June 27, 2024. (Kevin D. Liles for The Washington Post via Getty Images)
Rep. Raúl Grijalva, D-Ariz., on Wednesday, July 3, became the second Capitol Hill Democrat to call on President Biden to exit the race. (Getty Images)
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Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., says Biden's "performance on the debate stage I think rightfully raised questions among the American people about whether the President has the vigor to defeat Donald Trump." (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., expressed concerns about Biden's health on MSNBC.
Twenty-three Democratic governors from across the nation descended on the White House last Wednesday evening to meet with the embattled president, but after the gathering, only Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, who leads the Democratic Governors Association, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul and Maryland Gov. Wes Moore spoke to reporters to express their support.
Moore described the meeting with Biden as "honest" and "candid" and said that the governors were "going to have his back."
Hochul said President Biden was "in it to win it" and that the trio had pledged their support to him "because the stakes could not be higher," invoking on the eve of Independence Day, the fight against tyranny.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom, who many commentators have proposed as a possible Biden replacement, also took part in the White House meeting and backed the 81-year-old.
"I heard three words from the President tonight – he’s all in. And so am I," Newsom posted on X on July 3. Newsom also publicly backed Biden immediately following the debate.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom speaks to reporters after the presidential debate. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)
"You don’t turn your back because of one performance," Newsom said after the debate. "What kind of party does that? This president has delivered. We need to deliver for him at this moment."
Illinois Gov. J. B. Pritzker has also publicly backed Biden, as has Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs and Hawaii Gov. Josh Green.
Elsewhere, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., a longtime Biden ally, has also expressed his support, as well as House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y.
"A setback is nothing more than a setup for a comeback," Jeffries has posted to X.
Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont has said "I'll do my best to get him elected." (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana, File)
As for Democrat senators, Alex Padilla of California has said "Joe Biden is going to be our Democratic nominee" while Catherine Cortez Masto of Nevada said Biden has "always had Nevadans’ backs, whether it’s on the picket lines, protecting our personal freedoms, or lowering costs – now it’s time for us to have his."
Rep. Al Green of Texas has said "I think that we need to move forward with Biden."
"Any ‘leader’ calling for President Biden to drop out needs to get their priorities straight and stop undermining this incredible actual leader who has delivered real results for our country," adds Rep. Frederica Wilson, D-Fla.
Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Calif., also declared "I don’t care what anybody says – it ain’t going to be no other Democratic candidate." And Sen. Bernie Sanders has said "I'll do my best to get him elected."
Fox News’ Kyle Morris and Greg Norman contributed to this report.
This is a developing story and will be updated.