Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.) is seeking to put together a delegation of Democratic senators to ask President Biden to drop out of the 2024 race, according to a report.
Warner, the chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, has reportedly told his colleagues that he fears the 81-year-old will lose to former President Donald Trump, 78, in November in the wake of his disastrous June 27 debate performance.
The contingent of senators that Warner, 69, is aiming to assemble would deliver their message to Biden on Monday at the White House, according to the Washington Post.
One Democratic senator anonymously told the outlet that there is concern that the president’s shrinking post-debate inner circle isn’t accurately explaining to him how much damage his performance against Trump has done to his candidacy.
Warner’s office did not respond to The Post’s request for comment.
“Like many other people in Washington and across the country, Senator Warner believes these are critical days for the president’s campaign, and he has made that clear to the White House,” the senator’s spokeswoman, Rachel Cohen, told the Washington Post.
She refused to confirm or deny that Warner believes Biden should end his re-election bid.
There are fears that if Biden stays in the race, his presence will hurt down-ballot Democrats.
Democrats currently have a 51-49 edge over Republicans in the upper chamber, but must defend seats in several competitive races, including Montana, Nevada and Ohio.
However, no sitting Democratic senator has publicly demanded Biden be replaced on the 2024 ticket.
He has faced public calls to step aside from three Democratic House lawmakers: Reps. Lloyd Doggett (D-Texas), Seth Moulton (D-Mass.) and Raul Grijalva (D-Ariz.)
Earlier this week, Reuters reported that as many as 25 Democrats in the House are preparing to call for the president to end his campaign.
Several Democratic senators were reportedly waiting to see how Biden’s Friday rally in Wisconsin and his prime-time interview with ABC’s George Stephanopoulos go before making a call on potentially asking him to drop out, according to the Washington Post.
“I think there is a sense among many that the current path may not be sustainable for him,” an unnamed Democratic senator told the outlet. “Not because of the debate alone but how well he performs in the future. He obviously has to show strength right now.”
Biden indicated Friday that he was determined to stay in the race.
“I’m the nominee of the Democratic Party,” Biden told Wisconsin rallygoers. “You voted for me to be your nominee — no one else.
“Some folks don’t seem to care who you voted for. Guess what? They are trying to push me out of the race. Let me say this as clearly as I can: I’m staying in the race.”
