Morelle among Democrats who want Biden to step aside from election, reports say
U.S. Rep. Joe Morelle, of Irondequoit, is now among the influential Democratic leaders who believe President Joe Biden should step aside in the 2024 presidential election, according to reporting from several national sources.
Morelle, the standing Democrat on the committee on House Administration, was part of a phone call among House of Representatives leaders Sunday. Politico said he was "among those forcefully calling for Biden to stand down."
The New York Times, CNN and ABC News all reported similar news.
Morelle has been a steadfast supporter of Biden during his three terms in Congress, following the party line almost without exception. But the 81-year-old president has come under increasing pressure to yield his position, in particular after a poor showing in a debate last week.
A Morelle spokesman did not respond to multiple requests for comment. Immediately after the debate, Morelle told WXXI News that there were "a lot of questions still to be answered" regarding his candidacy.
"I wouldn’t write Joe Biden off because of one bad performance,” he said. “By the same token, I think he has to make a decision, his family and his inner circle about whether they think he feels he can still fulfill his obligations."
Other leading Democrats to express concern about Biden during the meeting included Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, Jerrold Nadler, Adam Smith, Mark Takano, Jim Himes and Susan Wild.
This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Joe Morelle among Democrats who want Joe Biden to step aside: Reports
