Mikie Sherrill Becomes First New Jersey Democrat to Call on Biden to Resign

U.S. Rep. Mikie Sherrill, who represents a district in Northern New Jersey, on Tuesday became the first Democrat in Congress in the state to publicly call on President Joe Biden to drop the presidential nomination.

Biden, 81, insists he won’t concede after his June debate performance Concerns about his fitness to serve have intensified and he I was getting ready balmy support of allies. But concerns within the party have not disappeared, and some Democrats have dared to speak out publicly against the president.

Sherrill became the seventh Democrat in the House of Representatives to do so. She joined the representatives Texas, Arizona, Massachusetts, Illinois, Minnesota and Washington.

While Sherrill’s district, which includes parts of Essex, Morris and Passaic counties, hasn’t been selected as a battleground state in 2024, it’s not a sea of ​​blue. Sherrill flipped the district in 2018, but her Republican opponents won more than 40% of the vote in both of her re-election races.

IN a four-paragraph statementSherrill praised Biden’s accomplishments but said he should resign to prevent former President Donald Trump from winning the election.

“I know President Biden cares deeply about the future of our country,” she wrote on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter. “That’s why I’m asking him to announce that he will not seek reelection.”

She said she heard from voters that they were “united in their concern for our country and our future” and that they wanted a candidate who could build on the country’s successes while also warning voters about the dangers Trump poses.

“When I think about my four children and all the rights that are at risk under another Trump presidency, and in light of the recent Supreme Court decision that gave unlimited power to the president of the United States, the stakes are too high — and the danger too real — to remain silent,” she said.

At least 20 Democratic lawmakers spoke at a nearly two-hour private session of the House of Representatives on Tuesday to discuss the election, with most wanting Biden to end his candidacy, fearing the race would focus too much on his age, the source told the Associated Press.

U.S. Rep. Andy Kim, whose South Jersey district includes nearly all of Burlington County and parts of Mercer and Monmouth counties, has not taken a clear public stance on the issue.

This The New Jersey Globe reported that Kim said he, like others, had “concerns” and that Biden’s team should address them.

“People have concerns — I mean, it’s the presidency of the United States,” said Kim, a Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate. “So I think it’s very important to be open and honest about where things are.”

In the film sent to X According to CBS News reporter Aaron Navarro, Kim said Reporters are unsure what steps to take next.

“The main thing I hear is uncertainty about the options available. I think we’re still figuring that out,” he said.

Senators have been more cautious than members of the House of Representatives about sharing their thoughts publicly about Biden’s candidacy.

On Tuesday, Sen. Michael Bennett of Colorado became the first Democratic senator to publicly say he does not think Biden can defeat Trump, but he stopped compact of directly calling on him to resign.

“I think Donald Trump is well on his way to winning this election” said CNN’s Kaitlan Collins. “… So to me, this is not a question about a poll. This is not a question about politics. This is a moral question about the future of our country.”

” READ MORE: Fetterman Calls Abandon Biden Movement Stupid, Defends Biden’s Performance in Fox News Debate

Pennsylvania’s Democratic delegation appears to be split on the issue, with several members expressing full support for the president or appearing with him recently, while a handful either declined to comment on whether Biden should be nominated or are still grappling with the question.

” READ MORE: Here’s where Pennsylvania’s Democratic congressional caucuses stand on whether Biden should remain the nominee