In a significant move within Democratic ranks, Representative Raúl Grijalva (D-Ariz.) has joined calls for President Biden to step down from the upcoming presidential race. Following a lackluster performance in a recent debate, Grijalva becomes the second sitting Democratic lawmaker to publicly advocate for Biden’s withdrawal.
Grijalva, a veteran Congressman since 2003, expressed his stance in an interview with The New York Times. While he pledged his support to Biden should he continue as the party’s nominee, Grijalva emphasized the need for the Democratic Party to seriously consider an alternative candidate.
“If he’s the candidate, I’m going to support him, but I think that this is an opportunity to look elsewhere,” Grijalva stated. “What he needs to do is shoulder the responsibility for keeping that seat — and part of that responsibility is to get out of this race.”
The Arizona representative’s comments followed a similar appeal by Representative Lloyd Doggett (D-Texas), who, with almost three decades in Congress, became the first current Democratic lawmaker to publicly call for Biden’s withdrawal. Doggett argued that Biden had failed to effectively defend his achievements and counter Trump’s falsehoods during the recent debate.
The dual calls from established Democratic voices underscore growing concerns within the party regarding Biden’s candidacy as the 2024 presidential election approaches.
