Democrats Make Their Decision: They Are Ridin’ with Biden Despite Deep Concerns

The coup to replace President Joe Biden as the Democrat nominee appears to be sputtering as prominent Democrats are publicly lining up behind the presumptive nominee despite deep private concerns documented within the party.
From vulnerable Democrat senators trying to win reelection in red and purple states, to squad members from deep blue districts, to the chairs of the Congressional Black and Hispanic Caucuses, the party is publicly rallying behind an extremely vulnerable Biden to be at the top of the ticket this fall.
Sens. Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Bob Casey (D-PA), and Jon Tester (D-MT), who face extremely competitive Senate races, refused Monday to abandon Bidenâwho, along with his family, is adamant he is remaining in the race.
âIâm not a pundit,â Brown said Monday, according to NBC News. âIâve talked to people across Ohio. They have legitimate questions about whether the president should continue his campaign, and Iâll keep listening to people.â
Casey took a very similar approach to Brown. He refused to call on Biden to step aside for another Democrat, with Punch Bowl Newsâs Andrew Desiderio reporting he said that the party already has its âtwo nominees,â referring to Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris.
âIâve got a race to run,â Casey reportedly added. âIâll let the political scientists analyze. Iâm not gonna be an analyst.â
In a statement to the Hill, Tester said, âBiden has got to prove to the American people â including me â that heâs up to the job for another four years.â
âMeanwhile, Iâll continue to do what Iâve always done: Stand up to President Biden when heâs wrong and protect our Montana way of life,â he added.
The men have some of the weakest reelection odds of any Democrat senator in the country, and their refusal to flip on the president just over a month before the partyâs presidential convention comes amid worries on the left that he could negatively affect down-ballot Democrats.
Brown and Tester are both seeking reelection in red states â Ohio and Montana â where Trump won handily in 2016 and 2020, and Republicans in other statewide races have enjoyed substantial success in recent election cycles. Brown is squaring off with Ohio GOP businessman Bernie Moreno, while Tester is running against Montana Republican businessman and Navy SEAL veteran Tim Sheehy. Casey is set for a showdown with Republican businessman Dave McCormick in purple Pennsylvania.
Safer House Democrats who come from deep blue districts are also backing the president amid discussions about replacing him.
Members of the progressive âSquad,â headlined by Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), publicly backed Biden on Monday, declaring âJoe Biden is our nominee,â as CBS Newsâs Ellis Kim reported:
I have spoken to the President over the weekend. I have spoken with him extensively. He made clear then and he has made clear since that he is in this race. The matter is closed. He had reiterated that this morning, he has reiterated that to the public. Joe Biden is our nominee. He is not leaving this race. He is in this race and I support him.
NEW: @AOC BUOYS BIDEN: “I have spoken to the President over the weekend. I have spoken with him extensively. He made clear then and he has made clear since that he is in this race. The matter is closed. He had reiterated that this morning, he has reiterated that to the public.âŠ
â Ed O’Keefe (@edokeefe) July 8, 2024
Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) followed suit, declaring to Hill reporter Maeve Sheehy âeverybodyâs supporting the presidentâ with the exception of a few âoutliers.â
While not a member of the squad, Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-NY) changed his tune on Monday, New York Times Congressional Correspondent Annie Karni noted, citing colleague Maya C. Miller.
âNadler says he still has concerns about president Bidenâs candidacy, but that those are âbeside the pointâ now,â Karni wrote in a post on X. ââHeâs going to be our nominee, and we all have to support him.’â
Oof.
Nadler says he still has concerns about president Bidenâs candidacy, but that those are âbeside the pointâ now. âHe’s going to be our nominee, and we all have to support him.”
Two days ago, Nadler called on Biden to end his candidacy in a private call.
via @mayacmiller
â Annie Karni (@anniekarni) July 9, 2024
âTwo days ago, Nadler called on Biden to end his candidacy in a private call,â she added.
Nadler was not alone in reportedly expressing private concerns about Biden as the presumptive nominee. One House Democrat speaking anonymously told Axios Congressional reporter Andrew Solender that âthe dam is holding,â adding âvery few members will openly speak in favor of Biden stepping aside.â
Vibe check for tomorrow: A House Democrat deeply skeptical of Biden tells me “the dam is holding” and predicts “very few members will openly speak in favor of Biden stepping aside.”
“As someone who wanted the reckoning and is disappointed that it’s over, trust me: it’s over.”
â Andrew Solender (@AndrewSolender) July 9, 2024
âAs someone who wanted the reckoning and is disappointed that itâs over, trust me: itâs over,â the representative added.
The leaders of the Black and Hispanic Congressional Caucuses also reaffirmed their support for Biden on Monday.
Biden gets more key support pic.twitter.com/OUhEeSrnPd
â Maggie Haberman (@maggieNYT) July 9, 2024
Major fluctuations in Polymarketâs betting market about who will be the Democrat nominee have taken place in recent days, but Biden reclaimed his place as the far-and-away favorite in betting odds to secure the nomination as of midday Tuesday.
Polymarket gives Biden a roughly seven in ten chance to win the nomination as of this writing, with Harris having a two in ten chance for it. This is a substantial shift from July 3, when Harris was favored to be the nominee with a 49 percent to Bidenâs 38 percent chance.
Biden has made clear he plans to stay in the race, while First Lady Jill Biden said Monday at an event in Columbus, Georgia, she is âall-inâ like her husband.
âJoe has made it clear heâs all in,â Jill Biden said, after chants of âfour more yearsâ died down. âIâm all-in, too. And I know you are, too, or you wouldnât be here today.â #gapolhttps://t.co/OiYAbx5BVo
â Greg Bluestein (@bluestein) July 9, 2024
âJoe has made it clear heâs all in,â Jill Biden said, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported. âIâm all in, too. And I know you are, too, or you wouldnât be here today.â
As Breitbart News also reported:
Democrat internal polling reportedly reveals that House Republicans could flip as many as 20 seats, further increasing their majority.
âOne Democratic insider tells me that members have been briefed on polling that shows House Democrats could lose as many as 20 seats,â Marc Caputo, a national political reporter for the Bulwark, wrote.
[âŠ]
One swing district Democrat described the meeting as âintense.â Another said Biden has âgot to step down.â The same Democrat said, âThere were actual tears from people, and not for Biden.â
Comments are closed.