House Democrats worried DNC pushing for Biden nomination before Convention
House Democrats Raise Concerns Over Early Nomination for President Joe Biden
A group of House Democrats is expressing hesitation towards endorsing President Joe Biden as the party’s nominee for reelection. They have circulated a letter raising serious concerns about plans for a virtual roll-call vote as early as July 21, ahead of the Democratic National Convention in August.
The letter, which has not been sent to the Democratic National Committee yet, argues that it would be detrimental to stifle debate about the party’s nominee with such an early vote.
“It could deeply undermine the morale and unity of Democrats,” the letter obtained by The Associated Press stated.
Despite President Biden’s campaign efforts in battleground Nevada to secure a second term at the White House, doubts about his candidacy persist following his lackluster debate performance against Republican Donald Trump.
Although nearly 20 congressional Democrats have called for Biden to withdraw from the race, public calls for his departure have subsided since the recent assassination attempt against Trump. However, privately, the internal party debate regarding Biden’s future continues.
Democrats on Capitol Hill are divided over the president’s ability to carry on with his campaign successfully and win reelection. With concerns that they could lose both the White House to Trump and control of Congress to Republicans, there is apprehension within the party.
In May, the party announced an early roll-call vote to ensure Biden’s qualification for the ballot in Ohio, but the state has since modified its deadlines, rendering the issue moot, according to the letter.
Representative Jared Huffman, who leads the Democrats’ task force opposing the conservative Project 2025 agenda, is among those expressing reservations about Biden’s candidacy. Huffman recently asked pointed questions of Biden during a call with progressive lawmakers, questioning the viability of his campaign.
The letter being circulated by Huffman and others emphasizes that the signatories represent various perspectives on the situation, with some calling for Biden to step aside, while others remain undecided.
The Democratic National Committee has not set a formal date for the virtual roll-call vote, but its rulemaking committee is scheduled to meet soon to make decisions regarding virtual activities. The vote could take place starting the week of July 22 and may conclude by July 29.
Biden’s reelection campaign maintains that the roll-call vote must be completed by August 6 to meet the original ballot deadline in Ohio.
Both the DNC Chair Jaime Harrison and Biden’s deputy campaign manager, Quentin Fulks, have affirmed the necessity of the virtual roll-call vote, despite Ohio’s deadline modifications. They argue that Ohio lawmakers could still alter the date, jeopardizing Biden’s ballot access.
However, the Ohio secretary of state’s office has stated that the issue is resolved and criticized Democrat proxies for attempting to blame Ohio for their own party’s dysfunction.
Overall, the debate within the Democratic Party about President Biden’s reelection campaign continues, with differing opinions on the best path forward as the election approaches.
