PORTSMOUTH, Va. (WAVY) — Virginia Sen. Mark Warner is organizing a group of Democratic lawmakers to call on President Biden to leave the presidential race, according to multiple reports.
The news was first reported by The Washington Post and later confirmed by NBC News.
The Post reported that Warner, a centrist Democrat who was a key player in helping to pass Biden’s 2021 infrastructure bill, is concerned that Biden is not able to run a campaign that could beat former President Donald Trump after last week’s debate struggles.
A spokesperson for Warner didn’t confirm the senator’s stance, but said “like many other people in Washington and across the country, Senator Warner believes these are critical days for the president’s campaign, and he has made that clear to the White House.”
NBC News reports a meeting of senators is likely Monday night when Congress returns from recess, but a date hasn’t officially been set.
As of July 5, three House members, Rep. Lloyd Doggett (D-Texas), Rep. Raúl Grijalva (D-Arizona) and Rep. Seth Moulton (D-Mass.) have publicly called on the president to step down.
Several other lawmakers have also shared concerns about Biden staying in the race, while many others have said they will wait to see how Biden does in a interview with ABC’s George Stephanopoulos on Friday night.
Warner’s co-senator, Tim Kaine, meanwhile recently showed support for the president.
“The bottom line is, Joe Biden is our president. He’s a patriotic American. He’s done a good job. He puts others first, not himself,” Kaine said at a recent campaign stop, according to a report in the Progress-Index newspaper. “He had one race that was an existential race in 2020, and he had to win it. He’s racked up a great record as president.”
Biden though has doubled down on running amid the criticism, saying in a campaign stop on Friday afternoon in Wisconsin that he’s staying in the race.
“Let me say it as clear as I can: I’m staying in the race!” Biden said. “I’ll beat Donald Trump.”