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US Reps. Sean Casten, Chuy Garcia call on President Biden to drop out of race (Updated)

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* Five Illinois US Reps. have now said the POTUS should drop out. Mike Quigley, Brad Schneider and Eric Sorensen have already done so, and we have two more today. Casten…

Today, U.S. Congressman Sean Casten (IL-06) called on President Joe Biden to withdraw as the Democratic nominee for President of the United States.

“It is with a heavy heart and much personal reflection that I am therefore calling on Joe Biden to pass the torch to a new generation,” wrote Rep. Casten in the Chicago Tribune. “To manage an exit with all the dignity and decency that has guided his half-century of public service. To cement his legacy as the President who saved our democracy in 2020 and handed it off to trusted hands in 2024 who could carry his legacy forward.”

Read Rep. Casten’s full op-ed in the Chicago Tribune here.

* Garcia…

Today, U.S. Representatives Jared Huffman (CA-02), Marc Veasey TX- 33), Chuy Garcia (IL-04), and Mark Pocan (WI-02) released a joint message to President Joe Biden:

“Mr. President, with great admiration for you personally, sincere respect for your decades of public service and patriotic leadership, and deep appreciation for everything we have accomplished together during your presidency, it is now time for you to pass the torch to a new generation of Democratic leaders. We must defeat Donald Trump to save our democracy, protect our alliances and the rules-based international order, and continue building on the strong foundation you have established over the past four years.

“At this point, however, we must face the reality that widespread public concerns about your age and fitness are jeopardizing what should be a winning campaign. These perceptions may not be fair, but they have hardened in the aftermath of last month’s debate and are now unlikely to change. We believe the most responsible and patriotic thing you can do in this moment is to step aside as our nominee while continuing to lead our party from the White House. Democrats have a deep and talented bench of younger leaders, led by Vice President Kamala Harris, who you have lifted up, empowered, and prepared for this moment. Passing the torch would fundamentally change the trajectory of the campaign. It would reinvigorate the race and infuse Democrats with enthusiasm and momentum heading into our convention next month. Mr. President, you have always put our country and our values first. We call on you to do it once again, so that we can come together and save the country we love.”

* And while this statement doesn’t call on Biden to step aside, it’s still worth noting…

In light of the ongoing national conversation regarding President Biden’s candidacy as the Democratic nominee for President of the United States and the Republican Party unifying under Donald Trump’s extreme right wing agenda, Latina/o elected officials on Chicago’s Northwest side and Western Suburbs released the following statement:

We understand that a second Trump Presidency presents an existential threat to our democratic institutions and will cause immeasurable harm to working people, especially our most vulnerable and marginalized communities. Our top priority remains clear: we must do everything we can to defeat the far-right agenda of Donald Trump, MAGA Republicans, and the Heritage Foundation’s Project 2025 at the ballot box this November.

We remain steadfast in our commitment to advance a transformative progressive agenda that is responsive to the needs of working-class people. We affirm that political violence and hateful rhetoric of any kind have no place in our politics. We condemn the attempted assassination of Donald Trump just as we have condemned the dangerous, divisive, and xenophobic agenda which he has advocated during his tenure as a public official. We hold that the best way to counter and prevent the advance of Trump’s right-wing agenda is to organize a mass working-class people’s movement that unapologetically fights for social, racial, economic, and environmental justice, equitable distribution of resources, and protecting the basic human rights of all people.

Regardless of who the Democratic Nominee for President is, Democratic leaders and progressive elected officials are responsible for listening to the voices of communities across our country that are demanding more from our political system. It is not enough to demand that people show up to vote against an authoritarian threat every four years. People across our country are exhausted from the never-ending rhetoric and politics of fear while they are struggling to put food on the table or to meet their family’s basic needs.

The way we defeat the dangerous and hateful vision of Project 2025 is by presenting our vision of a country that is boldly inclusive, just, and equitable, where everyone’s basic needs are met. Now is the time to champion a bold policy agenda that includes universal healthcare through Medicare for All, making the rich pay their fair share in taxes, protecting and expanding Social Security, codifying Roe and safeguarding reproductive rights, protecting people from deportation, and creating a pathway to citizenship for all 11 million of our undocumented neighbors, raising the federal minimum wage to be a living wage, forgiving student loans, guaranteeing access to free public colleges and universities, and helping achieve a ceasefire in Gaza that builds a bridge towards lasting peace for Palestinians and Israelis.

The Democratic party and the Democratic Nominee for President are responsible for adopting an agenda that addresses the needs and concerns of working people across our country. We stand ready to help advance this agenda and to defeat Donald Trump’s extreme right-wing agenda.

Congresswoman Delia Ramirez
State Senator Omar Aquino
State Senator Karina Villa
Democratic Nominee for State Senator Graciela Guzman
State Representative Lilian Jimenez
State Representative Norma Hernandez
Cook County Commissioner Anthony Joel Quezada
Alderperson Carlos Ramirez-Rosa
Alderperson Rossana Rodriguez
Alderperson Jessie Fuentes
Alderperson Ruth Cruz

…Adding… ILGOP…

After a week of unity in Milwaukee, Republicans in Illinois and across the country are ready to win in November. Democrats on the other hand don’t even know who will be at the top of the ticket yet.

Joe Biden’s poll numbers keep getting worse and big name Democrats are calling it quits on the President. Sean Casten joined a growing chorus of Democrats calling for Biden to step down this morning, a chorus that includes Reps. Chuy Garcia, Mike Quigley, and Eric Sorenson.

But former Biden/Pritzker staffer Nikki Budzinski and Senator Dick Durbin are #RidinWithBiden.

And Governor Pritzker? He’s supporting the “Democratic nominee” who is “apparently” Joe Biden. Sounds like a full throated endorsement to us.

With less than a month to go until Democrats descend on Chicago, their party here in Illinois and across the country is in complete and utter disarray.

31 days to go.

posted by Rich Miller
Friday, Jul 19, 24 @ 10:55 am

Comments

Not IL-centric but for my money, the biggest name on that list is Marc Veasey. First member of the CBC to openly call for Biden to step down.

Comment by ZC Friday, Jul 19, 24 @ 10:59 am
No mention of a specific path forward.
No mention of legal viability.
Just vibes.

Comment by Stephanie Kollmann Friday, Jul 19, 24 @ 11:03 am
Does anyone think that this year is going to go well for the Democrats? The Republican party is completely united for the first time in my recent memory. Even Bailey and Bost are putting their differences aside in the name of “unity”.

The Democrats on the other hand, can’t get out of their own way. It doesn’t seem their standard bearer can physically or mentally campaign and everyone else is pointing fingers and assigning blame. Not to mention the rising costs of living are making the electorate tired of the status quo.

I think we are a little bit more shielded from this here in Illinois since it is so highly Democratic in this state. We Democrats need to a better job of reaching those voters outside of our base if we don’t want to lose the White House and be the minority party in Congress.

Comment by Hannibal Lecter Friday, Jul 19, 24 @ 11:23 am
After he becomes the nominee, the DNC should be interesting to watch a bunch of people half-heartedly rally. What a mess.

Comment by Lurker Friday, Jul 19, 24 @ 11:24 am
Governor Pritzker not going to like Illinois Congressional Democrats turning on his Candidate

Comment by Don't lose Sight Friday, Jul 19, 24 @ 11:33 am
The Chicken Little Caucus identifies itself.

At least I now know who to not support if any of these gutless wonders run for a statewide office.

Comment by Northsider Friday, Jul 19, 24 @ 11:41 am
All I know is that if Biden’s forced to drop out, I’m not donating money to the Democrats for a very, very long time, if ever.

Okay neat, ignore the will of primary voters (boo-hoo it wasn’t heartily contested) because big money donors aren’t donating? Fine, ask those big money donors to entirely bankroll the party going forward.

At least have the good decency to put forward suggesting candidates or Harris running mates for an undemocratic convention to decide if you’re doing this, too.

Comment by TJ Friday, Jul 19, 24 @ 11:44 am
**Governor Pritzker not going to like Illinois Congressional Democrats turning on his Candidate**

I don’t think that you’ve been paying attention…

Comment by JoeMaddon Friday, Jul 19, 24 @ 11:47 am
People gripe about schools and student achievement, but these are adults and they have not learned one stinking thing. These goofballs are gift wrapping the election for trump.

If there were issues, and there clearly are, with Biden and they knew they would need someone else on the ticket this should have been handled in house months or years ago. At least ahead of the primaries. Now you are just piling on and tanking the election.

Comment by JS Mill Friday, Jul 19, 24 @ 11:47 am
Who’s going to tell them that the Democratic party did, in fact, adopt an agenda that addresses the needs and concerns of working people across our country? The DNC had their public platform meeting on Tuesday and voted to adopt the platform. It was a large and diverse committee. Folks were able to submit amendments beforehand, and many did. They were worked through and adopted, and they strengthened the platform.

Maybe the co-signers of this were too busy drafting their letter to notice that other people were actually doing the work they now proclaim they are ready to do.

Comment by Who else Friday, Jul 19, 24 @ 12:07 pm
I went to bed last night after seeing Trump’s weird, low-energy convention speech and finally felt a lot less anxiety feeling like this race could be won again.

Then I wake up and see the story has changed back from Biden is ready to surrender back to Biden is stubbornly staying in the race and all my anxiety is back.

I am a million times more angry at the people around Biden who pushed him to run again and stamped out any chance of a contested primary than I am at the prospect of my primary vote against Dean Phillips and Marianne Williamson getting nullified so the Dems run a candidate who does not need to spend the next several months holed up in a beach house or need to be wrapped in bubble wrap to go out and campaign but actually provide a vital contrast to the other too-old guy running for office.

My view is that person should be Kamala Harris.

That keeps the campaign structure and $ in place, gives us a contrast, and respects the will of the people who were voting Biden in the primary with the expectation Harris would take over for him if needed.

Comment by hisgirlfriday Friday, Jul 19, 24 @ 12:09 pm
Biden was losing before the debate. His campaign scheduled an early debate so he could hammer Trump, quell fears about his age, and begin an aggressive campaign in earnest.

Instead, the debate put him further behind. The race is only close because Donald Trump is an historically weak candidate. Biden has not demonstrated that he has or is able to execute a strategy to come back and win.

Kamala should be the way forward. The VP’s job is to step in when POTUS needs to bow out. That time is now.

Comment by NewToSpringfield Friday, Jul 19, 24 @ 12:17 pm
To the update: ILGOP not following the old adage: never interfere with an enemy while he’s in the process of destroying himself.

I’d keep quiet and hope Joe sticks it out if I were them.

Comment by Roman Friday, Jul 19, 24 @ 12:35 pm
- because big money donors aren’t donating? -

No, because Biden is clearly not up to the job. You realize there’s another debate scheduled, right?

Those of you calling us chicken littles are blinded by the sand covering your heads. Biden’s handlers and top insiders have known about his mental state and lied about it, and it wasn’t exactly well hidden before the disaster of a debate.

Comment by Excitable Boy Friday, Jul 19, 24 @ 12:55 pm
sad that the mess is coming to Chicago. just furthers the message of MAGA. it’s not true, of course, the mess of Chicago, sure, problems, but not as big as they claim. but the mess of Biden not stepping aside is. Damaged by Colbert, Meyers, Clooney, many polls. it’s done, Joe. Can Kamala do it? the chatter against her non work on the border would be massive.

Comment by Amalia Friday, Jul 19, 24 @ 1:08 pm
=The Chicken Little Caucus identifies itself=

There are twenty-eight Congressional Democrats who have called for Biden to step aside. That number which will surely grow is 10% plus of elected Dems in Congress.

Comment by Donnie Elgin Friday, Jul 19, 24 @ 1:40 pm
It’s a lot more than these DEMS. The DEM establishment want him out, and out NOW

Comment by Mason County Friday, Jul 19, 24 @ 1:42 pm
Remember when all the Illinois GOP publicly embarrassed and called for Mark Kirk to quit oh wait that’s right they didn’t. This is embarrasing for the Dems.
GOP should just sit back and let them explode.

Comment by Frida's boss Friday, Jul 19, 24 @ 4:16 pm
- Remember when all the Illinois GOP publicly embarrassed and called for Mark Kirk to quit oh wait that’s right they didn’t. -

Remember how he then went on to lose by 15 points?

Comment by Excitable Boy Friday, Jul 19, 24 @ 4:18 pm
===oh wait that’s right they didn’t===

A first term US Senator and a POTUS are two quite different animals.

Comment by Rich Miller Friday, Jul 19, 24 @ 4:19 pm