Lloyd Doggett has become the first Democratic politician to publicly call on US President Joe Biden to withdraw from the race for the White House.
It comes after Mr Biden’s poor performance in the opening presidential debate against Republican candidate Donald Trump last week.
“Recognising that, unlike Trump, President Biden’s first commitment has always been to our country, not himself, I am hopeful that he will make the painful and difficult decision to withdraw. I respectfully call on him to do so,” the Texas Congressman said in a statement.
Mr Biden is due to hold a meeting with Democratic governors tomorrow, a White House official has said, in the wake of his shaky debate performance last week.
The meeting, which will be held at the White House but maybe largely virtual with governors attending remotely, will give the president a chance to reassure leaders in his party that he is of sound mind and body despite the debate, which has prompted some to call for him to step aside as the Democratic Party’s presidential nominee.
Another source said Mr Biden would also meet with leaders from Capitol Hill this week as he seeks to shore up support among party stalwarts and tamp down talk that he should step aside.
The meetings are part of a broad effort to stabilise the president’s re-election bid after his halting, stumbling display on the Atlanta debate stage.
His team held difficult phone calls on Sunday and yesterday with important campaign funders who questioned whether the 81-year-old Democrat should stay in the presidential race.
