‘Not capable’: 7 Massachusetts state senators urge President Biden to withdraw from 2024 race

President Joe Biden coasted through this year’s primaries with members of his party united around him. But with the nominating convention scheduled for one month from Friday in Chicago, support for Biden is fragmenting and he’s hearing from more and more elected Democrats that they want him to exit this year’s presidential contest.

“Selecting a new Democratic presidential nominee will inject badly needed excitement and grassroots energy into the party and its voters, especially young people,” seven Massachusetts state senators wrote in a statement released at 9:55 p.m. Thursday, as Republicans united around former President Donald Trump and he accepted his third consecutive nomination for president at the GOP convention in Milwaukee.

The statement was issued by Sens. Jo Comerford of Northampton, Jamie Eldridge of Marlborough, Paul Feeney of Foxborough, Pat Jehlen of Somerville, John Keenan of Quincy, Jason Lewis of Winchester, and Michael Moore of Millbury. Lewis has previously called for Biden to withdraw, citing his performance in a debate with Trump, which Gov. Maura Healey at the time called “tough to watch.”

The senators cited polling results and Biden’s stamina and effectiveness as among the reasons he should withdraw.

“Most Americans, including the majority of Democrats, now believe that President Biden is not capable of vigorously campaigning and serving as president for another four years,” they wrote. “He is unable to effectively prosecute the case against Donald Trump, who represents a grave threat to the future of this country and the world.”

They continued: “President Biden has consistently lagged behind Donald Trump in national and battleground state polls for months, and now reliable polls are even showing competitive races in blue states like Virginia and Minnesota. A growing number of Democratic congressional leaders are deeply concerned that if President Biden remains at the top of the ticket, MAGA Republicans will control the presidency and both houses of Congress. This would be catastrophic for Massachusetts and our entire nation.”

The statement did not mention Vice President Kamala Harris or otherwise recommend an alternative candidate, but the senators said that choosing someone at the Aug. 19-22 convention would give that candidate “plenty of time” to launch and execute a winning campaign before the Nov. 5 election. That approach would likely pose a challenge for state election officials charged with presenting ballots to the voters.

Biden, who beat Trump in 2020 to knock him out of the Oval Office, acknowledged the concerns about his own debate performance but defended his abilities during a June 29 campaign reception in East Hampton, New York.

“I would not be running again if I didn’t believe with all my heart and soul I can do this job,” Biden said at the reception. “I know 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 here’s what I also know: I know how to tell the truth. I know right from wrong. I know how to do this job. And I know how to get things done. And I know, like millions of Americans know, when you get kicked down, you get back up.  And we’re back up.”

During an interview with the News Service this week, Secretary of State William Galvin discussed Biden’s pledged convention delegates and the challenge of selecting a new presidential nominee this late in the election process.

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