WASHINGTON – A trio of top advisors President Joe Biden He briefed Senate Democrats privately in less than two hours on Thursday Concerns are growing among Democrats about Biden’s declining influence into The presidential race against Donald Trump.
whom Public polling averages show his position slipping, albeit modestly, many Democrats don’t believe Biden can win — and worry he could drag the party’s ticket down with him, potentially handing control of Congress to Republicans. Democrats went into the meeting to get answers from Biden’s team about his plan to turn things around.
Biden’s top advisers Mike Donilon and Steve Ricchetti, as well as Biden campaign chair Jen O’Malley Dillon, provided senators with polling data and information outlining their team’s path to Biden’s victory in November, multiple senators told NBC News. .
It was the most “heated” part of the meeting, with Senate Democrats asking campaign officials tough questions and pressing them repeatedly about Biden’s future, according to two sources with knowledge of the discussions. June 27.
Democrats said the briefing was helpful, but not enough to move the needle.
“I think President Biden should run against Donald Trump,” Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., said after a voting presentation he received. “And as a Democratic candidate [Biden] I have support. “I still have concerns because I need more data and analytics to show the way to victory in November.”
Sen. Peter Welch, who remains the first and only senator to publicly call on Biden to drop out, said he appreciated Biden’s willingness to reach out to his team colleagues and answer questions, but said it was on his mind. fixed.
“I haven’t changed my mind,” he said, adding that he would follow a news conference Thursday evening.
The day before the meeting, Welch He wrote in the “Washington Post” newspaper He said Biden’s reputation was eroded and the party had “a deep base that could defeat Trump.”
“It’s a situation I’ve been told for the president,” Welch told NBC News about the meeting Thursday. The challenge for him is to reach out to the public and reassure them of their post-controversy doubts.
Earlier in the week, Sen. Michael Bennet, D-Colo. said he no longer believes Biden will win.
The stakes are high for Senate Democrats. The party controls the Senate 51-49 and is guaranteed to lose a seat in West Virginia. To keep their Senate majority, they must defend seats in red states like Montana and Ohio, as well as purple states like Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin, Arizona and Nevada. Their only chances to flip GOP-held seats come in the red-leaning states of Florida and Texas.
In addition to revealing plans to win the election, one of the goals of the Biden team was to argue that Democrats need to unite before next week’s Republican convention and quickly to refocus on Trump and what they see as GOP extremism. Biden’s chief adviser said.
Shortly before the meeting, the campaign released a “way forward” memo that acknowledged “growing concern after the debate” and called it a “setback” for the campaign. But the memo claims Biden still has a path to victory, saying: “Our internal data and public polls show the same thing: this remains a lopsided race in key battleground states.”
Sen. Joe Manchin, IW.Va., said it was an “instructive” meeting and that while he hasn’t spoken to Biden yet, he plans to do so “soon.” Before the meeting, Manchin suggested that Democrats would hold talks on Biden’s future over the weekend – after the NATO summit in Washington.
Some senators expressed optimism about Biden after the meeting. Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., an outspoken supporter of Biden, said he is “all in with Joe Biden” and that won’t change. Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., Biden’s campaign co-chair, said it was a “family discussion” that went well and was fully behind the president. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said Biden’s campaign team was “sincere” and “very good.”
Sens. Jon Tester, D-Mont. and Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, two of the most vulnerable Democrats up for re-election this fall, did not attend Thursday’s meeting. Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va.
“I have a full-time job here and I’m not interested in campaign meetings,” Brown said.
The tester said he wished to participate but was conflicted. He said he would be interested in speaking directly with Biden.
“I’d always like to see the president,” Tester said.
Sen. Bob Casey, D-Pa., another top Republican target this election cycle, attended a meeting with Biden advisers. He told reporters on Wednesday that he did not agree with this some colleagues Biden will not win in November. “That’s just my opinion,” he said.
Democratic critics of Biden outside the Senate were skeptical that the meeting with his advisers would allay concerns about his ability to win.
“It is very easy to overcome our anxiety. Show up and show you’re up to it. I especially don’t think sending staff members should get, will get or can get what everybody is worried about,” said Aaron Regunberg, a former Democratic state legislator from Rhode Island. He asked Biden to leave. “We’re losing a lot right now.”
“I’m with Joe,” Schumer said three times Tuesday when asked about Biden’s problems.
And Schumer has privately rejected suggestions that others have said otherwise: “As I have stated many times publicly and privately, I support President Biden and I remain committed to ensuring that Donald Trump is defeated in November.”