2024 election updates: Manchin the latest to call on Biden to end reelection bid
More Democrats called for Biden to bow out of the race.
President Joe Biden faced a critical point in his reelection bid as Democratic calls for him to exit the 2024 race continued to mount despite his efforts to shut them down.
A poor debate performance against Donald Trump in June reignited questions about Biden's age and fitness to carry out his campaign and serve another four years. While Biden defiantly insisted he was staying the course, he later announced on July 21 that he was dropping out of the 2024 presidential race.
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Clintons privately supporting Biden, encouraging donors, sources say
Former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hilary Clinton are privately supporting Biden and have been encouraging donors to continue giving and stick with the president, two sources familiar with the matter told ABC News.
One source described the Clintons’ support as "encouraging," "supportive" and "deferential" to Biden’s decision to stay in this race.
Several members of Biden's senior staff including, deputy chief-of staff Annie Tomasini and Steve Richetti, the president's counselor, are in Rehoboth, Delaware where he is recovering from COVID-19.
As they have been since the debate, Richetti and Biden’s senior staff continue to “listen” and “hear out” concerns from donors, lawmakers and party leaders, but "not agreeing" with their views, according to the source.
Their message to those skeptics is that the president has a “hardened perspective” and is committed to this race. The source added that they’re telling skeptics the president is eager to make the contrast with Trump and get back out on the campaign trail.
-ABC News' Selina Wang and Justin Gomez
38th congressional Dem calls on Biden to step aside
Rep. Mark Takano of California publicly called on Biden to "pass the torch" to Harris and drop out of the race in a statement posted on his X page
"Joe, I love you and respect you. But the stakes are too high to fail," he said.
"She has been an invaluable governing partner to the President and can run on their many shared achievements on behalf of the American people," Takano said of the vice president.
-ABC News' Lauren Peller
Sen. Sherrod Brown calls on Biden to step aside
Sen. Sherrod Brown of Ohio became the fourth Senate Democrat to call on Biden to end his campaign Friday.
Brown said in a statement many of his constituents have reached out to him about the important matters in this year's election.
"I agree with the many Ohioans who have reached out to me. At this critical time, our full attention must return to these important issues. I think the President should end his campaign," he said.
-ABC News' Allison Pecorin and Isabella Murray
Additional House member calls for Biden to step aside
Democratic Rep. Gabe Vasquez of New Mexico called for Biden to end his campaign in a post on X Friday afternoon.
"With abortion rights under attack and our Democracy at stake, we must unite to defeat Donald Trump and MAGA extremists," he wrote.
Vasquez, a member of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, is the 12th congressional Democrat to call for Biden to end his campaign on Friday.
In total, 36 House and Senate Democrats have publicly made the call.
-ABC News' Lauren Peller