Three-term Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., is seeking to assemble a group of fellow Democratic senators who are of the same mind as him that President Joe Biden should drop out of the presidential race, The Washington Post reported Friday.
One scenario being considered is that the Warner-led group would meet with Biden at the White House to convey their concerns about his ability to run an effective campaign to defeat Republican presumptive nominee Donald Trump in November, according to the Post, and advise him to withdraw.
“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,” Warner spokeswoman Rachel Cohen told the Post.
No Democratic senator has publicly called for Biden to step aside. Privately, however, Democrats in the upper chamber have shared their concerns that Biden’s spot atop the ticket is “untenable” in the aftermath of his debate performance last week, according to the report. Further, they believe that Biden is being insulated from the stark reality of the fallout by his close advisers, the Post reported.
Three House Democrats so far have publicly called on Biden to withdraw from the race.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., has urged Democrats to hold off on taking action until robust polling data comes out later this month, according to the Post.
“I think there is a sense among many that the current path may not be sustainable for him,” one Democratic senator told the Post. “Not because of the debate alone but how well he performs in the future. He obviously has to show strength right now.”
Warner, chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, has not yet publicly commented about Biden’s debate performance.