Schumer open to dumping Biden in 2024: Axios
3 Min Read
More Democrats are calling for President Biden to withdraw from the race, and a new report reveals that Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer is also discretely pushing for the incumbent president to step aside.
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Senate Majority leader Chuck Schumer, D-NY, left, talks with Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-KY, on Capitol Hill, on July 10, 2024, in Washington. (AP)
In a new report, Axios revealed that Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer is discretely signaling donors that he's open to a Democratic presidential ticket that President Biden doesn't lead. That said, Schumer has been pro-Biden in public and the opposite in private.
For the past 12 days, Schumer has been gathering insights and recommendations from donors on the optimal path forward for the party, according to three individuals with knowledge of the situation. The majority leader is among several prominent Democrats, such as former President Obama and former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who possess the political and personal influence to persuade Biden to step down. However, Biden can still resist, with delegates pledged to his support.
After the story was published, Schumer said, "As I have made clear repeatedly publicly and privately, I support President Biden and remain committed to ensuring Donald Trump is defeated in November,"
According to Axios, Schumer's famous flip phone was abuzz with messages from donors sharing their views, before and after the debate. He has been listening attentively, though he hasn't suggested who, if anyone, might be a more viable candidate than Biden. His primary focus remains on defeating former President Trump and maintaining the Democratic majority in the Senate. Besides donors, Schumer is also receiving feedback from his fellow senators.
Will Biden be replaced?
Following Tuesday's caucus lunch, Schumer invited senior Biden campaign officials to brief members and address any concerns. Despite Biden's directive to lawmakers to "end" discussions about replacing him, these conversations have continued.
Rep. Nancy Pelosi openly suggested today that Biden should reconsider his decision. "It's up to the president to decide if he is going to run," Pelosi said on MSNBC's Morning Joe.
Rep. Pat Ryan (D-N.Y.) became the eighth House Democrat to call for Biden to withdraw from the race.
Schumer's conversations are part of a roiling debate in the Democratic Party, with prominent donors — including George Clooney — now calling on Biden to drop out of the race.
His words are part of an ongoing debate in the Democratic Party, with prominent donors - including George Clooney - now calling on Biden to drop out of the race, while lawmakers and donors wait for more polling data, most of which did not serve Biden, before making any move against the president.
They are also closely monitoring his public performances, with many waiting to see how he handles the upcoming post-NATO press conference on Thursday.
