Several top House Democrats say Biden should step aside during leadership call

Dana Bash, Jeff Zeleny, Priscilla Alvarez, MJ Lee and Pamela Brown, CNN

WASHINGTON (CNN) — More than a fistful of House Democratic ranking members told House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries successful a Sunday telephone that President Joe Biden needs to measurement speech from the 2024 campaign, according to sources acquainted pinch nan call.

Jeffries held nan telephone to return nan somesthesia of ranking members aft Biden’s dismal statement performance past month. The call, held earlier lawmakers return to Washington this week, was filled pinch heavy interest astir imaginable harm to nan Democratic summons and really it imperils nan party’s chances to triumph backmost nan House majority.

Jeffries did not stock pinch his colleagues wherever he stands connected nan mobility of whether Biden should proceed moving for reelection, a root who was connected nan telephone told CNN.

The number of lawmakers who explicitly said Biden should not beryllium nan Democratic nominee was greater than nan number who said up for him to stay, according to 1 of nan sources. Among those who opposed Biden arsenic nan nominee were Reps. Mark Takano, Adam Smith, Jim Himes, Joe Morelle, Jerry Nadler and Susan Wild, according to 3 sources.

Five lawmakers person publically called for Biden to retreat from nan statesmanlike race: Reps. Lloyd Doggett, Seth Moulton, Raúl Grijalva, Angie Craig and Mike Quigley.

Democratic Reps. Maxine Waters and Bobby Scott said successful support of Biden, according to 1 of nan sources.

One of nan concerns expressed during nan astir two-hour telephone was that Democrats will suffer their chance astatine nan House mostly if Biden is nan candidate, 1 of nan sources said, adding that it was mostly acknowledged nan nominee should beryllium Vice President Kamala Harris.

“It was beautiful brutal,” a elder Democratic adjutant told CNN, speaking connected information of anonymity to talk nan backstage speech among House leaders.

No decisions astir demands for a White House gathering aliases sending a missive to Biden are expected to beryllium made earlier nan afloat Democratic caucus meets Tuesday, aides said, but Jeffries has made clear he will let members to speak their minds and make their ain judgments.

One elder House Democrat said they person been connected calls and group chats pinch dozens of their colleagues wherever nan statement is that Biden needs to measurement aside. The personnel said nan caucus is trying to “find nan champion measurement to move forward” while still giving nan president nan respect they judge he deserves for his storied career.

It is nan position of nan elder House Democrat and different personnel that Tuesday — nan time of nan planned caucus gathering — will beryllium nan astir consequential time for nan president this week.

One of nan members told CNN they expect that is nan time erstwhile nan reservoir will break.

Many Democrats concerned astir Biden’s viability arsenic a campaigner pursuing his mediocre statement capacity are waiting for Jeffries to return a nationalist position.

So far, nan leader has been successful purposeful listening mode — arsenic 1 personification told CNN past week, Jeffries has “assiduously” avoided sharing his ain judgement connected nan matter arsenic he continues to study his ain caucus.

Biden, who is visiting battleground Pennsylvania connected Sunday, answered pinch a resounding “yes” erstwhile property asked whether nan Democratic Party was still down him.

This communicative has been updated pinch caller reporting.

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