Va. senator reportedly organizing group to ask Biden to leave presidential race
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Virginia Sen. Mark Warner is reportedly trying to get a group of fellow Democratic senators to meet with President Joe Biden and urge him to get out of the race for the White House.
The Washington Post first reported that Warner has told other lawmakers he no longer believes the president can sustain a successful campaign, in the wake of last week’s dismal debate performance.
Warner spokeswoman Rachel Cohen declined to confirm or deny Warner’s plans.
“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,” she said in a statement to The Washington Post.
Warner, a moderate Democrat, has a history of working with other senators to get groups together to address major issues.
The future of Biden’s campaign is a huge issue for congressional Democrats.
Some House Democrats have publicly called for the president to step aside, and many others remain worried that he could become a drag on congressional races.
Democrats are trying to defend a difficult election map in the U.S. Senate, where they hold a two-vote majority.
Wisconsin Democratic Sen. Tammy Baldwin, who’s in a competitive race for reelection, did not appear with the president during his campaign stop on Friday in Madison, Wisconsin.
Her campaign said she had previous commitments to other events elsewhere in the state.