Virginia Legislative Black Caucus expresses support for Biden’s continued candidacy

Del. Lamont Bagby, D-Henrico. (Photo by Ned Oliver/Virginia Mercury)

More than a week after President Joe Biden’s “bad night” in a debate with former President Donald Trump, some national Democrats have reportedly called for Biden to suspend his reelection campaign. In response, the 32 members of Virginia’s Legislative Black Caucus on Monday voiced their support for Biden to stay in the race. 

“As policy makers, we need support and allies at every level to truly deliver for constituents across the country,” VLBC chair Sen. Lamont Bagby, D-Richmond, wrote in a statement signed by his fellow caucus members. “This administration has proven that they care for the millions of Virginians who voted them into office.”

He noted the work of Biden’s administration to “protect real, working class people from exploitative corporate interests in the pharmaceutical industry, overwhelming student debt and the threats our changing climate brings.”

A key accomplishment of the Biden-Harris administration has been the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act, which also entailed various cost-reducing incentives for environmental actions and forthcoming negotiations with pharmaceutical companies over prescription medication costs. 

The declaration of support comes after four Democrats in Congress said during a call on Sunday that Biden should end his candidacy, according to NBC News. Separately, The Washington Post reported that Virginia’s Democratic U.S. Sen. Mark Warner was trying to marshal support from his colleagues to call for Biden to step aside. His office released a statement Monday afternoon that didn’t confirm or deny that account. 

Ahead of the impending election, “now is the time for conversations about the strongest path forward,” Warner’s statement read in part. “As these conversations continue, I believe it is incumbent upon the President to more aggressively make his case to the American people and to hear directly from a broader group of voices,” about how to defeat Trump.

In addition to Black leaders in Virginia’s legislature, prominent Black members of congress have also reaffirmed their Biden backing, including Virginia Democratic U.S. Rep. Bobby Scott. Democratic governors like Maryland’s Wes Moore have also spoken in support of Biden this past week. 

At age 81, concerns over his mental and physical capacities began circulating in political punditry following his performance in a June 27 debate against former President Donald Trump. Biden appeared to lose his train of thought at times and stumbled over his words. His voice was also soft and raspy. A June Gallup poll found the American voters surveyed are “nearly twice as likely to say Biden is too old to be president (67%) as say this about Trump (37%).” Trump is 78 years old. 

Biden called his debate performance a “bad night” that stemmed from fatigue and a “really bad cold,” in a recent interview with ABC’s George Stephanopoulos

The president reiterated during the interview that he does not plan to drop out of the race. When asked about the possibility of undergoing a cognitive test and making the results public, Biden refused to commit, adding that the demands of his job as  president equates to taking a cognitive test each day. 

Though the Republican and Democratic national conventions have yet to take place, Biden and Trump are the presumptive nominees for their parties.

“The choice is between two visions,” Bagby wrote in the VLBC statement of support. “A second Trump presidency would set us back a generation. We have full faith that a second Biden presidency would keep us moving forward.”

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