President Biden is expected to hold meetings with Democratic congressional leaders and governors on Wednesday amid widespread concerns about his debate performance.
“The president will take some time and talk to these Democratic members and governors tomorrow,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Tuesday.
When asked by reporters why Biden didn’t call Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (DN.Y.) and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (DN.Y.) after the debate, Jean-Pierre said the president plans to speak with them this week. Jean-Pierre also added that senior officials and the campaign have been in contact with lawmakers “regularly.”
CNN reported Tuesday that Democratic governors held a call Monday without Biden. A national Democratic official familiar with the call told The Hill that it was organized by Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D), who is president of the Democratic Governors Association. Furthermore, the call consisted of governors only, and the Biden-Harris team was aware that it took place.
“Democratic governors are some of the most proactive and vocal supporters of the president and vice president because they have seen how the accomplishments of the Biden-Harris administration are directly benefiting their residents,” the official said. “The Biden/Harris team is in constant communication with the governors and their teams, including about yesterday’s meeting.”
Publicly, Democratic governors have created a united front for Biden, acknowledging that he had a bad debate but emphasizing the importance of choosing him over former President Trump.
The developments come amid ongoing fallout on both sides of the aisle following the president’s debate performance. On Tuesday, Texas Rep. Lloyd Doggett became the first House Democrat to call on Biden to resign from the Democratic ticket.
Early post-debate polls also painted a negative picture for Biden. A CNN poll released Tuesday found that 75 percent of registered voters said Democrats were more likely to defeat Trump with someone else as their candidate.
This story originally appeared on thehill.com read the full story
