Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Burbank, has become the latest Democrat to break party ranks and publicly voice concerns about whether Biden has the strength to beat Donald Trump.
Schiff, who is the favored candidate to become California’s next U.S. senator, shared his fears about Biden’s age and how his candidacy could hurt Democrats running in battleground House and Senate seats in a recent interview with MSNBC’s “Meet the Press.”
“The performance on the debate stage, I think, rightfully raised questions among the American people about whether the President has the vigor to defeat Donald Trump,” said Schiff, adding that given Biden’s impressive record in office he should be “mopping the floor with Donald Trump.”
“Joe Biden is running against a criminal,” he said. “It should not be even close, and there’s only one reason it is close and that’s the President’s age.”
Schiff said now is the time for the President to make an important decision about whether to step aside, noting that perceived weakness at the top of the ballot could harm Democrats running down ballot.
“You can only run so far ahead of the President,” he said, adding that Biden must consider “the profound impact this decision, maybe the most important of his presidency, will have on the House, on the Senate, on the future of the country.”
Campaign strategist Daniel Jubelirer, who helps Democrats in battleground communities with the organization Contest Every Vote, said he’s cautioning his candidates against associating too closely to Biden.
“The debate was hard to watch and I think shows the importance of not just winning local races on the coattails of the President, but running strong local campaigns that can connect with voters on issues that matter to them in their community,” he said.
A clear message on how candidates will address kitchen table issues like local jobs, the cost of food and housing and the accessibility of healthcare will play a bigger role in determining the outcome of local races than who sits at the top of the ticket, he said.
Still, Schiff isn’t the only congress member worried about how Biden’s age will impact the election.
Former speaker of the house Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-San Francisco, told MSNBC that concerns about Biden’s mental fitness are a “legitimate question” in an interview last week. She said both Biden and Trump ought to take a mental acuity test.
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On the other hand, two of California’s most prominent Democrats, Vice President Kamala Harris and Gov. Gavin Newsom have maintained their stalwart support for Biden’s campaign, even while being floated as potential candidates to replace him. Newsom spent the holiday weekend campaigning for the President in Michigan, Pennsylvania and New Hampshire, while Harris did the same in San Francisco and New Orleans.
None of these politicians’ stances are surprising said veteran Democratic strategist Michael Trujillo.
Pelosi and Schiff, he explained, should safely win their seats and are most concerned about whether they will be part of a Democratic majority or minority in Congress.
“I’m sure they both love Joe Biden, but their incentive structure is to win the House and Senate,” he said. “The top of the ticket can be a real anchor and if the top of the ticket is going down, it’s not good for down ballot candidates.”
Newsom and the other governors eyeing presidential runs — like Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and Maryland Gov. Wes Moore — are biding their time until the next election cycle, Trujillo said. To break party lines now is to risk losing internal support for a 2028 run.
Harris meanwhile, has a clear role to play as vice president.
“Kamala is in a position where she has to be a loyal, good vice president, that’s historically what the role is,” said Trujillo. “So Vice President Kamala Harris is playing it right, she’s taking her cues, holding remarks, saying the same talking points that the White House has been spreading.”
At a recent fundraiser in Brentwood, Harris acknowledged the debate wasn’t the President’s “finest moment,” but said that does nothing to alter the stakes at play in the election.
Biden reiterated his commitment to remaining in the race in an open letter to congressional colleagues released on Monday.
In the letter, Biden said he is well aware of the concerns that people have and has spent the last ten days closely consulting with party leadership, rank and file Democrats, and voters.
“I can respond to all this by saying clearly and unequivocally: I wouldn’t be running again if I did not absolutely believe I was the best person to defeat Donald Trump in 2024,” he stated.
He then urged people to move forward from the presidential debate and focus on winning the election.
“Any weakening of resolve or lack of clarity about the task ahead only helps Trump and hurts us,” he stated. “It’s time to come together, move forward as a united party and defeat Donald Trump.”