More Democrats urge Biden to drop out of race against Trump

Sen. Chris Coons, the Delaware Democrat who is co-chair of President Joe Biden‘s reelection campaign, said Friday that Biden “is weighing what he should weigh, which is, who is the best candidate to win in November and to carry forward the Democratic Party’s values.”

Coon’s comment at the Aspen National Security Forum came as eight more congressional Democrats, among them a senator, called on Biden to drop out of the election.

Coons would not say if he has spoken to Biden about the situation, but added, “I am confident he is hearing what he needs to hear from colleagues, from the public.”

Coon’s comment Friday contrasts with what he said just days after Biden performed poorly in a June 27 debate against Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, raising concerns about the president’s mental acuity.

“The stakes of this race couldn’t be higher, and the only Democrat who’s ever beaten Donald Trump is Joe Biden,” Coons told ABC News on June 30.

“He is our candidate for November and he has the best shot to beat him,” Coons said at that time.

Biden’s other campaign chair, Jen O’Malley Dillion, on Friday held that same line, brushing aside congressional Democratic calls for Biden to quit, saying, “Absolutely the president’s in this race.”

And Biden, who is isolated at his Delaware beach house with a Covid-19 infection, in a statement Friday afternoon said, “I look forward to getting back on the campaign trail next week to continue exposing the threat of Donald Trump‘s Project 2025 agenda while making the case for my own record and the vision that I have for America: one where we save our democracy, protect our rights and freedoms, and create opportunity for everyone.”

“The stakes are high, and the choice is clear,” Biden said. “Together, we will win.”

But two people familiar with the situation told NBC News that members of Biden’s family have discussed what his exit from the election race against the Republican presidential nominee Trump would look like, if he makes that decision.

So far, 28 House Democrats and three Democratic senators have urged Biden to drop out.

Sen. Martin Henrich of New Mexico became the third Democratic senator to come out against Biden’s continued candidacy, joining Jon Tester of Montana, who made his announcement Thursday, and Vermont’s Peter Welch.

Seven House members who announced Friday they want the party to select a new nominee were Reps. Sean Casten and Chuy Garcia of Illinois, Zoe Logren and Jared Huffman of California, Marc Veasy of Texas, Mark Pocan of Wisconsin, and Greg Landsman of Ohio.

The new tally means that more than 10% of the Democratic House caucus, which has 213 members, have publicly called for Biden to step aside.

O’Malley Dillion, in a statement responding to the new calls, said, “You have heard from the President directly time and again: He is in this race to win, and he is our nominee, and he’s going to be our President for a second term.”  

Biden got a boost Friday when the political action committee arm of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus endorsed the 81-year-old’s candidacy for reelection.

“This November, we will harness the power of our community to defeat Donald Trump and his Project 2025 agenda, and reelect President Biden,” CHC Bold PAC said in a statement.

Earlier Friday morning, a Biden campaign memo obtained by NBC News said he will remain the Democratic presidential choice in November and that the party has “no plan for an alternative nominee.”

“While voters consistently mention President Biden’s age when contacted, our target voters — both reengagement and true swing voters — are still planning to vote for him, making it clear the debate has not hurt support among the voters who will decide this election,” wrote Biden campaign battleground states director Dan Kanninen in the memo.

“He’s the presumptive nominee, there is no plan for an alternative nominee. In a few short weeks, Joe Biden will be the official nominee,” Kanninen wrote. “It is high past time we stop fighting one another. The only person who wins when we fight is Donald Trump.”

During an appearance on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” show, O’Malley Dillon said, “I’m not here to say that this hasn’t been a tough several weeks for the campaign.”

“There’s no doubt that it has been,” O’Malley Dillon said. “And we’ve definitely seen some slippage in support, but it has been a small movement.”

She spoke after Casten’s editorial in the Chicago Tribune called on Biden to drop out, but before the other four House Democrats joined that call.

This is developing news. Check back for updates.