Democrats struggle to unite behind candidate as Biden vows to stay in race

The Democratic National Committee's rulemaking arm has held a meeting, pressing ahead with plans for a virtual roll call before August 7 to nominate the presidential pick, ahead of the party's convention later in the month in Chicago.

However, Democrats struggled to unite behind a candidate as President Joe Biden insisted he would stay in the election race against Donald Trump.

"President Biden deserves the respect to have important family conversations with members of the caucus and colleagues in the House and Senate and Democratic leadership and not be battling leaks and press statements," Senator Chris Coons of Delaware, Biden's closest friend in Congress and his campaign co-chair, told The Associated Press.

It's a pivotal few days for the President and his party. Trump has wrapped up an enthusiastic Republican National Convention in Milwaukee on Thursday.

And Democrats, racing time, are considering the extraordinary possibility of Biden stepping aside for a new presidential nominee before their own convention.

Among the Democrats expressing worries about Biden's chances were former President Barack Obama and Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi, who has privately told Biden the party could lose the ability to seize control of the House if he doesn't step aside.

New Mexico Senator Martin Heinrich called on Biden to exit the race, making him the third Senate Democrat to do so.

"By passing the torch, he would secure his legacy as one of our nation's greatest leaders and allow us to unite behind a candidate who can best defeat Donald Trump and safeguard the future of our democracy," said Heinrich, who's up for reelection.

Representatives Jared Huffman, Mark Veasey, Chuy Garcia, and Mark Pocan, who represented a wide swath of the caucus, called on Biden to step aside.

"We must defeat Donald Trump to save our democracy," they wrote. Separately, Representative Sean Casten of Illinois wrote in an op-ed that with "a heavy heart and much personal reflection", he, too, was calling on Biden to "pass the torch to a new generation."

Stubborn Biden

Earlier on Friday, Biden insisted he will stay in the race.

"The stakes are high, and the choice is clear. Together, we will win," the 81-year-old said in a statement from the Delaware beach home where he is in Covid isolation.

"I look forward to getting back on the campaign trail next week," Biden added, as his doctor said the President was bouncing back from the symptoms of the disease.

Biden's disastrous performance during a debate against Trump three weeks ago raised questions over his age and health, prompting dozens of Democrats to urge him to step down.

Biden beat Trump in 2020, becoming the oldest president in US history in the process.

However, a series of polls have shown him trailing Trump in the 2024 race despite his rival being a convicted felon, while some polls show Harris as more competitive.