House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) met with President Biden on Thursday night to discuss concerns from House Democrats about his reelection bid, as some have publicly urged him to withdraw from the race. The meeting came after Jeffries spoke with a large number of House Democrats in recent weeks and heard their sentiments regarding Biden's ability to beat former President Trump in November.
Four House Democrats and one Senator have now publicly called for Biden to step aside, bringing the total number of Democratic lawmakers doing so to 18. These include Reps. Jim Himes (Conn.), Scott Peters (Calif.), Eric Sorensen (Ill.), Brittany Pettersen (Colo.), and Sen. Peter Welch (Vt.).
Despite these calls, Biden has remained adamant that he plans to remain in the race.
Jeffries did not reveal any specifics about the sentiments he heard from his caucus during the meeting or share his personal perspective on Biden's re-election bid. He is seen as one of the veteran Democratic figures who would have influence with the president if they believed he should step aside.
The meeting took place after Biden's high-stakes press conference, which was intended to allay concerns among Democratic lawmakers and voters about his ability to remain the party's nominee. The president fielded questions for roughly 50 minutes and received mixed reactions, with some praising his handling of foreign policy and national security issues while others highlighted gaffes that may have overshadowed the evening.
Biden's disastrous debate performance last month, during which he stumbled over his words and appeared to lose his train of thought, prompted calls within the party for him to step aside. However, Jeffries has consistently told reporters that the Caucus is having 'candid, comprehensive and clear-eyed' conversations without revealing details.
Until these discussions have concluded, Jeffries has not addressed what outside stakeholders may have to say about Biden's candidacy.
