These Democratic lawmakers, officials have publicly backed Biden since the debate
President Biden and his campaign have been in clean-up mode this week after his poor debate performance sparked panic within the Democratic Party and some calls for him to step down.
As of Saturday evening, five House Democrats have publicly gone against the party and asked Biden to step aside so a new candidate can take on former President Trump.
Many Democratic lawmakers and other public officials, however, are sticking by Biden and urging both their fellow politicians and the American public to do the same ahead of the high-stakes election this fall.
Here’s who has publicly backed Biden after the debate:
Vice President Kamala Harris
Directly following the first presidential debate, Vice President Harris defended Biden during an interview with CNN that was occasionally tense.
She said Biden had a “slow start” to the evening but was able to make a “strong finish” and pointed to Biden’s character over Trump’s.
As calls for Biden to step aside continue, Harris has emerged as one of the top choices for his replacement.
Still, she doubled down on her support for the president and said they intend to beat Trump together.
Gov. Gavin Newsom
Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-Calif.), one of Biden’s biggest allies, dismissed concerns about the president’s abilities directly following the debate.
Newsom, who has also been rumored to be a top choice if Biden steps aside, called all the talk about Biden’s performance “unhelpful and unnecessary.”
He urged people to not look at 30 minutes of Biden’s presidency, but rather at the last 3 and a half years.
Gov. Kathy Hochul
Gov. Kathy Hochul (D-N.Y.) was among several Democratic governors who met with Biden this week.
During the meeting, the governors pledged their support to Biden, Hochul said.
In a post online, she said Biden is “in it to win it. The stakes this November could not be higher.”
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D-Mich.) also was at the meeting at the White House.
In a similar post online, she said Biden is the Democratic Party’s nominee and that she will support him.
“He is in it to win it and I support him,” she posted.
Like Harris, Whitmer has been rumored as one of the few people that the party could choose if Biden steps aside.
Gov. Tim Walz
Gov. Tim Walz (D-Minn.) joined the meeting and also voiced his support for Biden.
Walz spoke outside the White House after the meeting and said all of them were “looking for the path to win.” He said Biden had the governors’ backs during the COVID-19 pandemic and they have his back now.
He said Biden is fit for office and last week’s debate was a “bad performance.”
Gov. Wes Moore
Gov. Wes Moore (D-Md.) was also in attendance during the governors meeting. The Maryland Governor said the meeting with Biden and Harris was “honest” and “candid.”
Moore said they were open with Biden about the concerns they have and what they have heard from their constituents.
“We said we will stand with him,” Moore said. “The president has always had our backs, we’re going to have his back as well.”
Sen. John Fetterman
Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) told his fellow Democrats to “chill the f— out” after reports emerged of the party panicking following the debate.
He said he refuses to join the “Democratic vultures” because one bad performance is “not the sum total of the person and their record.”
Just over a week after the debate, Biden participated in an on-camera interview with ABC. Fetterman said anchor George Stephanopoulos should ask the president nine questions, including if he’s been impeached or slept with and bribed a porn star, hinting at Trump.
Sen. Chris Coons
Sen. Chris Coons (D-Del.) said the stakes of this election “couldn’t be higher” and the only Democrat that’s beaten Trump is Biden.
“He is our candidate for November. And he has the best shot to beat him,” Coons said.
Directly after the debate, an energetic Biden appeared in North Carolina to speak to voters. While his demeanor was much brighter, he still received criticism because he was speaking off of a teleprompter.
Coons said he thinks that Biden should have more “unscripted” and “off-the-record” moments.
Former Speaker Nancy Pelosi
Former Speaker Nancy Pelosi acknowledged concerns earlier this week, saying it’s fair to ask if the 81-year-old Biden has a condition or if the debate was just “an episode.”
Still, she defended Biden following the debate and emphasized he is “attuned” to the issues when she works with him.
She also shot down the suggestion that Biden could be replaced by another candidate.
Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee
Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Texas) said Biden has had her district and the country’s backs over the last four years.
“He’s listened, and most importantly, he’s delivered,” she wrote on X. “He is an honest man running against a serial liar who was a disgrace to the office.”
She said that Democrats will beat Trump this fall by “having Biden’s back.”
Rep. Haley Stevens
Rep. Haley Stevens (D-Mich.) posted on Instagram at a Michigan Biden-Harris campaign event, where she said Democrats are “FIRED UP” to go “make sure voters know President Biden has their backs.”
Rep. Jasmine Crockett
Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-Texas) doubled down on her support of Biden and warned of a second Trump term.
She asked for fellow Democrats to “unite around the ticket,” which is currently Biden and Harris. She said she will support the ticket as it stands “so long as the president says that he can do this job.”
Rep. John Garamendi
Rep. John Garamendi (D-Calif.) said he wants his fellow Democrats to slow down and take a deep breath when it comes to their concerns about Biden.
He said the panic following the debate was a “feeding frenzy” and urged them to understand the “enormous importance” of their actions and what Biden has done for the country.
“Let’s take a look at what this president has done and also what he’s managed to do since that debate,” Garamendi said.
The California Democrat said it’s not an easy task being the president and running a campaign, but Biden has done both.
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