A House Democratic leader on Wednesday backtracked on comments he made Tuesday that he doubts President Joe Biden will renew his bid for the presidency in 2024, a highly unusual break from the party’s standard-bearer.
The White House has repeatedly said that Biden intends to run for re-election.
When asked during a debate whether she should run again, New York Rep. Carolyn Maloney, currently seeking re-election to the Empire State’s 12th Congressional District, told NY1 debate moderators : “I don’t think he’ll show up.”
Maloney is in a hotly contested primary, in part because of redistricting that pits him against another Capitol Hill veteran, Rep. Jerry Nadler. The pair will face each other on August 23.
Nadler told debate moderators on Tuesday that it was “too soon to say” whether Biden would run again in 2024, adding that such speculation “doesn’t serve the purpose of the Democratic Party to address this until after the midterms legislature”.
Maloney’s response was quickly picked up by the Republican National Committee and circulated on social media.
Maloney is no political novice. The chairwoman of the House Oversight Committee has served in Congress for nearly 30 years, and her forecast of Biden’s prospects is at odds with some others in the party — the Democratic National Committee and the White House, as well as congressional leaders like the senator Chuck Schumer: They’ve aligned themselves with another potential Biden-Kamala Harris ticket. The president previously told ABC News’ David Muir that he would exercise as long as his health remains good.
Maloney modified his remarks slightly Wednesday morning, tweeting that she would “absolutely support President Biden, if he decides to run for re-election.”
“Biden’s leadership securing historic investments for health, climate and economic justice demonstrates once again why he is the strong and effective leader we need right now,” he said.
Still, Maloney isn’t alone in her reservations: Rep. Dean Phillips, D-Minn., recently told local media that he doesn’t think Biden should seek a second term. “I think the country would be well served by a new generation of convincing, well-prepared and dynamic Democrats to step up,” Phillips said.
President Joe Biden listens during a meeting with reporters in the Oval Office of the White House, July 12, 2022.
Chris Kleponis/Pool via Getty Images
Later, in a statement to The Minnesota Star Tribune, he added: “Under no circumstances can we afford four more years of Donald Trump, and while Joe Biden was clearly the right candidate at the right time two years ago, I hope that all two The main parties presented new candidates of principle, civility and integrity in 2024”.
Minnesota House Speaker Angie Craig quoted Phillips this week when she said there needs to be a “new generation of leadership.”
At 79, Biden is the oldest president in history, breaking a record set by his predecessor, Donald Trump, who is now 76.
Biden defended his popularity among Democrats last month, telling ABC News that a New York Times/Siena College poll showing a majority of his party preferring another candidate in 2024 also found that 92 percent of Democrats they said they would vote for him in another run with Trump. .
And among all voters, according to the poll, Biden would beat Trump by 44% to 41%.
Biden told ABC News in December that the prospect of such a rematch was appealing.
“Now you’re trying to tempt me,” Biden told Muir at the time, laughing. “Why wouldn’t I run against Donald Trump for the nominee?” added. “This will increase the chances of running.”
