Texas congressman calls for Biden withdrawal from presidential race

AUSTIN, Texas - Texas Democratic U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett is the first major Democrat to call for President Joe Biden to step down as the party's 2024 presidential nominee. 

A poor debate performance from Biden has many calling for his withdrawal. Biden's delivery was halted, and he appeared to lose his train of thought throughout the debate. His raspy, whispering voice left many viewers wondering if the president was sick; Biden’s campaign said he was getting over a cold.

Trump, though his comments were mostly false and provocative, appeared more confident and vigorous than Biden. Polls show the majority of viewers believed Trump won the debate. 

There have been multiple reports of Democrats looking at ways to replace Biden as the nominee, but none have released anything official until now.

In his statement, Doggett acknowledged Biden's years of public service and said, "My decision to make these strong reservations public is not done lightly nor does it in any way diminish my respect for all that President Biden has achieved. Recognizing that, unlike Trump, President Biden’s first commitment has always been to our country, not himself, I am hopeful that he will make the painful and difficult decision to withdraw. I respectfully call on him to do so."

"I want a candidate who I think has a better chance of winning in November. And I don't believe that that candidate is President Biden," said Doggett, in an interview with FOX 7 Tuesday night.

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Doggett says his constituents in Austin overwhelmingly want a change.

"I would say it's running about 10 to 1 in terms of the input to me, of people that would like to see a different candidate," said Doggett.

So far, Doggett is the only congressional Democrat to publicly call for Biden to bow out, but he says privately it’s a different story.

"I think many of them share my concerns," said Doggett.

"Look, Doggett is a senior Democrat in the Texas delegation and someone who's taken seriously by other Democrats," said Scott Braddock, editor of quorumreport.com.

Braddock says while Doggett could change some minds, he wonders whether replacing Biden would actually work.

"Democrats would seem to be in a box, John. They would have to come up with a completely new narrative around a completely different candidate, and do that within about four months to be able to hang on to the presidency. And that seems highly unlikely," said Braddock.

Doggett didn’t name any names, but said there are many governors, senators and even cabinet members who he thinks could take on Trump.

"There’s no guarantee," said Doggett. "Bringing on a new, fresh candidate might well give us a much better chance.

Asked whether he’s worried about whether speaking out could impact him politically, Doggett said, "Well, you know, I’m not a spring chicken myself. I'm not starting my career. I'm not the most endangered incumbent in Congress. And I thought it was time to speak out."

How Biden and others have responded to calls for withdrawal

Biden responded to the calls at a speech in Raleigh a day after the debate and told supporters, "I know I’m not a young man, to state the obvious … I don’t walk as easy as I used to. I don’t speak as smoothly as I used to. I don’t debate as well as I used to, but I know what I do know: I know how to tell the truth."

"I know right from wrong. And I know how to do this job. I know how to get things done. And I know, like millions of Americans know, when you get knocked down you get back up," Biden said.

Biden's family reportedly has urged him to stay in the race and most Democrats have publicly rallied around Biden.

"I do not believe that Joe Biden has a problem leading for the next four years," said one close ally, Democratic Rep. James Clyburn of South Carolina. "Joe Biden should continue to run on his record."

Sen. Raphael Warnock, a Georgia Democrat and Baptist minister, said there had been "more than a few Sundays when I wish I had preached a better sermon," relating the experience to Biden’s debate performance.

Lloyd Doggett's statement calling for Biden to step down

"Having devoted his life to public service, President Biden has achieved much for our country at home and abroad. Stepping up to lead a Nation in crisis, President Biden helped rebuild our country from the devastation of a pandemic, an insurrection, and years of Trump wreckage. Yet, for more than a year, many Americans have indicated dissatisfaction with their choices in this election."

"President Biden has continued to run substantially behind Democratic senators in key states and in most polls has trailed Donald Trump. I had hoped that the debate would provide some momentum to change that. It did not. Instead of reassuring voters, the President failed to effectively defend his many accomplishments and expose Trump’s many lies."

"Our overriding consideration must be who has the best hope of saving our democracy from an authoritarian takeover by a criminal and his gang. Too much is at stake to risk a Trump victory—too great a risk to assume that what could not be turned around in a year, what was not turned around in the debate, can be turned around now."

"President Biden saved our democracy by delivering us from Trump in 2020. He must not deliver us to Trump in 2024. This week, with the Supreme Court creating "a law-free zone around the President," Trump, newly-empowered with immunity, could usher America into a long, dark, authoritarian era unchecked by either the courts or a submissive Republican Congress."

"I represent the heart of a congressional district once represented by Lyndon Johnson. Under very different circumstances, he made the painful decision to withdraw. President Biden should do the same. While much of his work has been transformational, he pledged to be transitional. He has the opportunity to encourage a new generation of leaders from whom a nominee can be chosen to unite our country through an open, democratic process."

"My decision to make these strong reservations public is not done lightly nor does it in any way diminish my respect for all that President Biden has achieved. Recognizing that, unlike Trump, President Biden’s first commitment has always been to our country, not himself, I am hopeful that he will make the painful and difficult decision to withdraw. I respectfully call on him to do so."