Dozens of Democratic lawmakers text Biden to resign: Report

About 40 Democratic lawmakers exchanged text messages about President Joe Biden withdrawing as the party’s presidential nominee, according to a House member.

Several Democratic lawmakers spoke to NBC News (requesting anonymity) about the growing calls for Biden to withdraw from the race following his appearance in the June 27 presidential debate.

In an NBC News article published Thursday afternoon, one congressman said Biden looked “weak and fragile” during his State of the Union address in March. One House member said that “none of them think Biden should stay in the race,” among those sending text messages.

One senator said the debate revealed some observations officials have made during Biden’s term as president.

“During the debate, the whole country saw what all of us who had personal contact with him have known for the last 2 1/2 years,” the senator said in an interview with NBC News.

A third Democratic lawmaker said Biden looked “extremely tired” when they were together. The source also said there were times this year when Biden seemed “far from optimal” and that the debate showed the “worst” version of Biden. However, a third lawmaker said it was “not an aberration.”

Calls for Biden to end his campaign are not out of contempt for the president, a third lawmaker said.

“There is a lot of love for this man and his family. And there is a lot of consternation among us as to why he and the people around him who supposedly love him would allow him to take his historical legacy and throw it down the drain,” the lawmaker said.

The lawmaker underscored what an election loss could mean for Biden.

“If he loses to (Donald) Trump after this debate, that will be on his tombstone, not on his record. This is an absolutely defining moment,” the lawmaker said.

A week after the CNN presidential debate, polls show former President Trump gaining support from Biden.

Several polls were released after the debate, many of which showed Trump ahead of Biden. However, several polls showed little to no change in the numbers since the debate.

Newsweek reached out to the Biden campaign, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer’s office and the Democratic National Committee on Thursday evening for comment.

Several Democrats have publicly called on Biden to end his campaign, including two members of the House of Representatives, Arizona Rep. Raúl Grijalva and Texas Rep. Lloyd Doggett.

Doggett said in a statement that Biden should “make the painful and difficult decision to withdraw.”

“My decision to go public with these strong reservations was not made lightly and in no way diminishes my respect for all that President Biden has accomplished,” Doggett said Tuesday.

Grijalva said he would support Biden if he were the nominee, but he also thinks the party should consider other options.

“He has to take responsibility for keeping this seat — and part of that responsibility is withdrawing from the race,” Grijalva told The New York Times on Wednesday.

Other Democrats, however, rejected calls for him to resign.

“Today I heard three words from the President — he is fully engaged. So am I. @JoeBiden had our backs. Now it’s time to have his,” California Gov. Gavin Newsom, who has often been mentioned as a potential successor, wrote on X.

Biden and his team have said the president will remain in the race despite growing calls for him to step down.

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said at a news conference Wednesday that Biden “has a clear view and remains in the race.”

ABC News will air a prime-time interview with Biden on Friday at 8 p.m. ET.

The interview will be the Democratic incumbent’s first televised interview since last week’s CNN presidential debate. The first clip will air on “World News Tonight” Friday at 6:30 p.m. ET.