Democrats urge Biden to drop out of race against Trump

Six more congressional Democrats, among them a senator, called on President Joe Biden to exit the election contest Friday even as Biden’s campaign chair brushed those calls aside, saying “Absolutely the president’s in this race.”

Despite that vow by campaign chief Jen O’Malley Dillon, two people familiar with the situation told NBC News that members of Biden’s family have discussed what his exit from the election race against the Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump would look like, if he makes that decision.

So far, 25 House Democrats and three Democratic senators have urged Biden to drop out.

Sen. Martin Henrich of New Mexico became the third Democratic senator to come out against Biden’s continued candidacy, joining Jon Tester of Montana, who made his announcement Thursday, and Vermont’s Peter Welch.

The five House members who announced Friday they want the party to select a new nominee were Reps. Sean Casten and Chuy Garcia of Illinois, Jared Huffman of California, Marc Veasy of Texas and Mark Pocan of Wisconsin.

The new tally means that more than 10% of the Democratic House caucus, which has 213 members, have publicly called for Biden to step aside.

O’Malley Dillion, in a statement responding to the new calls, said, “You have heard from the President directly time and again: He is in this race to win, and he is our nominee, and he’s going to be our President for a second term.”  

Biden, who is isolating at his Delaware beach home with a Covid-19 infection, got a boost Friday, when the political action committee arm of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus endorsed the 81-year-old’s candidacy for re-election.

“This November, we will harness the power of our community to defeat Donald Trump and his Project 2025 agenda, and reelect President Biden,” CHC Bold PAC said in a statement.

Earlier Friday morning, a Biden campaign memo obtained by NBC News said he will remain the Democratic presidential nominee in November and that the party has “no plan for an alternative nominee.”

“While voters consistently mention President Biden’s age when contacted, our target voters – both reengagement and true swing voters – are still planning to vote for him, making it clear the debate has not hurt support among the voters who will decide this election,” wrote Biden campaign battleground states director Dan Kanninen in the memo.

“He’s the presumptive nominee, there is no plan for an alternative nominee. In a few short weeks, Joe Biden will be the official nominee,” Kanninen wrote. “It is high past time we stop fighting one another. The only person who wins when we fight is Donald Trump.”

During an appearance on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” show, O’Malley Dillon said, “I’m not here to say that this hasn’t been a tough several weeks for the campaign.”

“There’s no doubt that it has been,” O’Malley Dillon said. “And we’ve definitely seen some slippage in support, but it has been a small movement.”

She spoke after Casten’s editorial in the Chicago Tribune called on Biden to drop out, but before the other four House Democrats joined that call.

This is developing news. Check back for updates.