WASHINGTON—President Joe Biden stated in a letter to congressional Democrats on July 8 that he is determined to stay in the 2024 presidential race.
He urged them to band together and move forward as a unified party.
“I want you to know that despite all the speculation in the press and elsewhere, I am firmly committed to staying in this race, to running this race to the end, and to beating Donald Trump,” President Biden wrote in the letter.
The president mentioned that he has had “extensive conversations” with party leadership, elected officials, rank-and-file members, and Democrat voters over the past 10 days.
“I have heard the concerns that people have,” he said. “I am not blind to them.”
The letter was issued at a pivotal moment in his campaign after a small group of Democratic lawmakers called on him to drop out of the race following his June 27 debate with former President Donald Trump.
The president reminded congressional Democrats that the nomination process is “open to anyone who wanted to run.”
“We had a Democratic nomination process and the voters have spoken clearly and decisively,” he said.
“I received over 14 million votes, 87 percent of the votes cast across the entire nominating process. I have nearly 3,900 delegates, making me the presumptive nominee of our party by a wide margin.”
He later added: “It was their decision to make. Not the press, not the pundits, not the big donors, not any selected group of individuals, no matter how well-intentioned. The voters—and the voters alone—decide the nominee of the Democratic Party.”
“The question of how to move forward has been well-aired for over a week now. And it’s time for it to end. We have one job. And that is to beat Donald Trump,” he wrote.
“We have 42 days to the Democratic Convention and 119 days to the general election. Any weakening of resolve or lack of clarity about the task ahead only helps Trump and hurts us.”
On June 27, President Biden and his Republican rival faced off for 90 minutes in their first 2024 presidential debate at CNN’s Atlanta studio. Following the debate, some Democrat lawmakers, media outlets, and pundits called on President Biden to withdraw from the election.
In a July 8 morning interview with MSNBC, President Biden said, “I don’t care what the millionaires think.
“I am getting so frustrated by the elites ... in the party,” President Biden said, saying they think “they know so much more.”
“[If] any of these guys think I shouldn’t run, run against me, announce for president, challenge me at the convention.”
Since the first debate, President Biden has been actively rallying support. During a White House meeting last week, he reassured 24 Democratic governors of his commitment to continue his campaign.
Prior to that, he also held discussions with key congressional leaders, including Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.). As part of his efforts to address concerns, he sat down for an interview with ABC News’ George Stephanopoulos in Wisconsin. The interview was aired on July 5.
