'I respectfully call on Biden to withdraw' from 2024 race — Lloyd Doggett

Representative Lloyd Doggett of Texas has become the first Democratic lawmaker to publicly urge President Joe Biden to step aside as the party's presidential nominee, citing Biden's recent debate performance against Donald Trump as inadequate in defending his extensive achievements.

"My decision to make these strong reservations public is not done lightly nor does it in any way diminish my respect for all that President Biden has achieved," Doggett said in a statement on Tuesday.

"Recognising that, unlike Trump, President Biden's first commitment has always been to our country, not himself, I am hopeful that he will make the painful and difficult decision to withdraw. I respectfully call on him to do so."

Doggett, who represents an Austin-based district and is serving his 15th term in Congress, is the first sitting lawmaker in his party to publicly state what many have been privately whispering since last week’s debate.

Biden's weak performance caused immediate panic among his supporters, leading many to question whether the 81-year-old politician is the strongest Democratic candidate to take on Trump, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, in November.

"I represent the heart of a congressional district once represented by Lyndon Johnson," Doggett continued. "Under very different circumstances, he made the painful decision to withdraw. President Biden should do the same."

High stakes

Following the debate, Biden conceded that the performance did not go well, but insisted he was ready to fight for a second term as president.

The president and his campaign have not directly responded to Democrats' criticism, opting instead to send surrogates on cable news to defend the debate as a bad night and to draw a contrast between Biden and Trump.

The stakes are high, with control of both chambers of Congress hanging in the balance in November. Democrats are defending more Senate seats than Republicans, and their slim 51-49 majority in the Senate is precarious, while Republicans hold a narrow majority in the House.

Doggett's statement came shortly after former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., told MSNBC that she believes it is a legitimate question whether Biden's performance was just "an episode or is this a condition."

"When people ask that question, it’s legitimate — of both candidates," Pelosi said. She emphasized that while she had not spoken with Biden since the debate, she believes the president is still on “top of his game, in terms of knowing the issues and what is at stake."

Democratic Representative Mike Quigley of Illinois has suggested the possibility of replacing President Joe Biden as the party’s presidential nominee.

Acknowledging the significant impact of Biden’s presidency, Quigley emphasized the need for the president to realistically assess his current situation. He noted that the final decision ultimately rests with Biden himself.

Considering alternatives

The debate performance has led some within the party to question Biden’s viability as a candidate. Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., the top Democrat on the House Oversight Committee, suggested that the party might need to consider alternatives ahead of the Democratic convention in August.

"So whether he’s the candidate or someone else is the candidate, he is going to be the keynote speaker at our convention,” Raskin said on MSNBC. “He will be the figure that we rally around to move forward.”

Other Democrats expressed surprise at Biden's performance. Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., noted that he had never seen Biden perform in such a way, despite their years of service together in the Senate. “

"I think people want to make sure that this is a campaign that’s ready to go and win, that the president and his team are being candid with us about his condition — that this was a real anomaly and not just the way he is these days," Whitehouse told WPRI.

As the Democratic Party grapples with these developments, Doggett’s statement adds to the growing debate over Biden’s candidacy, raising questions about the party’s strategy heading into the critical months before the election.