Blumenthal ‘deeply concerned about Joe Biden’s victory’ in November

Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) has joined a growing set of congressional leaders saying publicly they are “deeply concerned” about President Biden’s ability to win in November.

Speaking to reporters outside the Senate on Wednesday morning, Blumenthal, who chairs the Senate Armed Services Committee, said he was “concerned” about Biden’s ability to win in November.

“I am deeply concerned about Joe Biden’s victory in November because it will be an existential treat for the country if Donald Trump wins,” he said. “So I think we have to come to a conclusion as quickly as possible, and I think Joe Biden, as the Democratic nominee, has my support.”

Blumenthal’s comments came nearly two weeks after Biden’s disastrous debate performance, in which he stumbled repeatedly and sounded hoarse. His performance immediately raised concerns about his ability to win in November, and he has spent the last two weeks trying to reassure Democrats that he can defeat former President Trump.

The Associated Press reported that Blumenthal told reporters after a Senate Democratic Conference meeting on Tuesday that there was “absolute unanimity” on Trump’s defeat, but he did not say whether Biden was the best person to defeat Trump.

During that meeting, at least three senators — Sens. Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Jon Tester (D-Mont.) and Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) — said they think Biden will lose to Trump in November.

Bennet later went on CNN with anchor Kaitlan Collins and made his concerns public.

“I think Donald Trump is on track to win this election, and maybe win it by a landslide and take the Senate and the House with him,” Bennet told CNN. “For me, this is not a question about research. It’s not a question about politics. It’s a moral question about the future of our country, and I think it’s critically important for us to face what we will face if together we put this country on the path to electing Donald Trump again.”

Earlier in the week, Tester released a statement in which he said, “Biden has to prove to the American people — including me — that he is up to the job for four more years,” while Brown said he had “talked to people in Ohio” that “They have legitimate doubts about whether the president should continue his campaign.”

Blumenthal is among a growing number of senior Democrats who have expressed concerns about Biden’s ability to win the election.

On Tuesday, Rep. Adam Smith (D-Wash.), the ranking member of the House Armed Services Committee who chaired it when Democrats were in power, went public with calls for Biden to resign.

Biden has worked to counter calls from Congress, sending a letter to congressional Democrats on Monday saying he would not back down. He also appeared on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” to criticize the party’s “elites,” calling on him to resign.

On Tuesday, the House and Senate Democratic caucuses met, and many House Democrats spoke out in favor of Biden remaining as the candidate.

Later that day, Rep. Mikie Sherrill (N.J.), a moderate House Democrat who won a Republican seat in 2018 and is seen as a future candidate for statewide office, also joined calls for Biden to resign. On Wednesday, Rep. Pat Ryan (DN.Y.) also called for Biden to resign, according to The New York Times.

Smith, Ryan and Sherrill join five other House Democrats who have called for Biden to withdraw. No senator has called for his withdrawal yet.

On Wednesday morning, Speaker Emeritus Nancy Pelosi appeared on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe,” where she was asked if she supported Biden as the party’s nominee. Pelosi declined to comment, instead deferring to the president.

“It’s up to the president to decide whether to run,” Pelosi said. “We are all encouraging him to make this decision. Because time is running out.

“But he’s loved, he’s respected, and people want him to make that decision, not me.”

Biden has repeatedly made clear that he will not step down as a candidate.

This story originally appeared on thehill.com read the full story