Vulnerable Democrats grapple with running on a ticket with Biden

Democrats running in competitive congressional races are trying to keep the focus on their own campaigns as President Joe Biden, confronted with questions about his future as the party’s nominee, defiantly declares that he isn’t going anywhere.

Vulnerable Democrats were already preparing to distance themselves from the top of the ticket, with Biden struggling in battleground states and districts before his disastrous debate performance last month. But Biden’s performance has made that task more urgent — and potentially more difficult.

A number of House Democrats in competitive races avoided reporters in the Capitol this week, ignoring questions about Biden’s future with phones glued to their ears or staff rushing them away.

“I’m not answering any more questions,” said Rep. Susan Wild of Pennsylvania, who privately expressed concerns about campaigning with Biden on a call with top Democrats Sunday.

Rep. Don Davis, D-N.C., who had previously said Biden needed to “step up,” did not break his stride when asked about Biden in a Capitol hallway. (A staffer said he was rushing to a meeting.) Rep. Emilia Sykes also did not acknowledge a question about Biden as the Ohio freshman was leaving the House on Thursday morning.

Of the nine vulnerable House Democrats who did entertain questions about campaigning with Biden, just one — Rep. Vicente Gonzalez of South Texas — answered with an emphatic “yes,” though some others signaled a degree of openness.

But most of those who spoke signaled they are preparing to go it alone.

Rep. Mike Levin, D-Calif., said he is not commenting on Biden’s path forward until House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries discusses lawmakers’ concerns with the president.

“I think those of us, like me, in competitive districts all across the country are going to stay focused on our districts,” Levin said Wednesday. “We’re not going to be focused on the national narrative. I think we’re going to leave the punditry to the pundits and ultimately run the campaigns that we need to run to win in our districts.”

So would Levin campaign with Biden?

“I think that, for now, I’ll reserve any comment on that until Leader Jeffries has the opportunity to make a statement,” Levin said.

Campaign trail tightrope

Vulnerable House Democrats have long known they would likely have to perform better than Biden to hold on to their seats.

But last month’s debate performance has raised more doubts about whether vulnerable Democrats would appear with Biden to tout the administration’s work in their districts.

One Democratic strategist involved in House races said it was possible, prior to the debate, that some endangered House members would have been willing to bring Biden to their districts to tout job-creating projects under the infrastructure law or the Inflation Reduction Act.

“I think even less Frontliners would do that now,” the strategist later added, referencing the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee’s “Frontline” program for vulnerable incumbents.

DCCC spokesperson Viet Shelton said in a statement that “candidate quality matters in down-ballot races,” adding: “Democrats run common sense, independent-minded candidates who are focused on kitchen table issues. Meanwhile Republicans run extremists who only care about acting like and obeying Trump — peddling conspiracy theories, taking away reproductive freedom, and pushing tax breaks for the ultra-wealthy.”

Texas’ Gonzalez was the lone Frontline member who said this week that he would still join Biden on the campaign trail.

“I still support my president,” Gonzalez said, later adding: “We’ve got to remember all the amazing and great things that he’s done, historic infrastructure investments that are prevalent in my district. People are really able to see the tangible results.”

Others suggested they might be willing to appear with the president even as his campaign struggles but were less definitive than Gonzalez.

“Well, [New Hampshire] is a key state and they’ve got a big campaign apparatus there. [Biden] has been to the state a few times this year already. I expect he’ll be back,” said Rep. Chris Pappas, D-N.H. “And we’ll see how the schedules line up.”

“He’s the president of the United States,” Rep. Steven Horsford, D-Nev., the chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, said when asked about campaigning with Biden. Asked if that was a “yes,” Horsford said, “He is the president of the United States and I look forward to having him in southern Nevada, yes.”

Some senators in tough races have signaled they would be willing to appear with Biden. Pennsylvania Sen. Bob Casey appeared with the president last weekend. Asked as he stepped into a Capitol elevator why he appeared with Biden, Casey said, as the elevator closed, “Done so before, so.”

Wisconsin Sen. Tammy Baldwin, who did not appear with Biden in her state over the weekend as she had her own previously scheduled campaign tour, said, “I am campaigning with the entire ticket, from the grassroots to the top.”

Other Democrats declined to directly answer whether they would be willing to appear with Biden on the campaign trail.

“I don’t know,” Rep. Susie Lee of Nevada said as she walked into a House office building Tuesday morning.

“I don’t think Biden is coming to my district,” Rep. Greg Landsman said, noting Biden had previously been to his Ohio district to tout an investment in a local bridge.

“We’re grateful that our bridge is getting rebuilt and I suspect that will be the only time he comes this cycle,” Landsman said.

“I don’t think he’s going to be focusing much on Colorado,” said Rep. Yadira Caraveo, adding that appearing with Biden “would depend on what the focus was.”

Steering clear of Biden drama

Caraveo declined to weigh in on whether Biden should be the nominee, saying, “I think that’s up to him and his family, and hopefully his doctors, right? As a doctor, I’m biased. I have no — that’s up to him.”

Caraveo’s hesitancy echoed other battleground Democratic members following the debate, and many deferred questions about Biden’s future to the president himself.

Just three Frontline incumbents — Minnesota’s Angie Craig, New York’s Pat Ryan and Michigan’s Hillary Scholten — have publicly called on Biden to end his campaign. So far, no Democrats in competitive Senate races have done so.

“I’ve got my own race to worry about,” said Democratic Rep. Colin Allred, who is running for Senate in Texas, when asked if Biden should step aside. Allred said he had not personally heard from Biden recently.

Three Democratic senators in competitive re-election races — Ohio’s Sherrod Brown, Montana’s Jon Tester and Virginia’s Tim Kaine — skipped a Thursday meeting with Biden’s campaign team.

Several other Democrats have also said they are keeping the focus on their own campaigns.

“We need to stop MAGA Republicans like Donald Trump and [former GOP Rep.] Yvette Herrell who support extreme policies like eliminating all abortion in New Mexico,” said Rep. Gabe Vasquez, D-N.M. “Regardless of who’s on the top of the ticket, I’m going to continue to bring home results and deliver for the people in New Mexico.”

Democratic Rep. Eric Sorensen of Illinois said Biden’s future is “up to him to decide.”

“Now as we look forward, I just want the best person front and center,” Sorensen said.

Is Biden that person?

“I think it remains to be seen.”

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com