U.S. Rep. Jim Himes is calling on Joe Biden to exit the presidential race, becoming the first member of Connecticut’s congressional delegation to publicly say he no longer has confidence in the president’s ability to win reelection.
Himes’ statement that Biden should “step away” came moments after the president held an hour-long press conference Thursday evening after the NATO summit and as Democrats continued to express public and private concerns about his fitness for office.
Himes, who represents the 4th Congressional District in southwestern Connecticut, reportedly expressed private reservations about Biden’s candidacy on a Sunday call with other high-ranking Democrats. For the past few days, he declined to make a public comment about where he stood on Biden and if he remained fit to run for office against Donald Trump.
Like other Democrats who have called on Biden to drop out, Himes praised his tenure over the past three years — on gun safety, health care and infrastructure — and argued that he should look to preserve his legacy.
“It is because of those traits, and in consideration of that legacy, that I hope President Biden will step away from the presidential campaign,” Himes’ statement reads.
“The 2024 election will define the future of American democracy, and we must put forth the strongest candidate possible to confront the threat posed by Trump’s promised MAGA authoritarianism. I no longer believe that is Joe Biden, and I hope that, as he has throughout this lifetime of public service, he will continue to put our nation first and, as he promised, make way for a new generation of leaders,” he added.
Himes joins a growing list of Democratic lawmakers urging the president to pass the torch to the next generation. But during his press conference on Thursday evening, Biden said he was committed to the race, seeking to make the case that he is up to the job and defending himself after saying in 2020 that he saw himself as a “transitional” candidate.
“What changed was the gravity of the situation I inherited in terms of the economy, our foreign policy and domestic division,” Biden said Thursday night.
As the ranking member of the House Intelligence Committee, Himes has an influential role among the House Democratic caucus.
So far, the rest of Connecticut’s delegation has not called on Biden to withdraw from the race, but many of them have said the president needs to do more to assuage voter and party concerns about his ability to win reelection.
On Wednesday, U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., said he had “deep concerns” about Biden’s ability to win but said he would support him as the nominee. That same day, U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., who faces his own reelection this fall, said he still believed Biden can win but urged him to do more to show voters he is up to the task of campaigning.
Representatives for Murphy and Blumenthal did not have immediate comments Thursday evening regarding Himes' statement.
After Biden advisers met with Senate Democrats hours ahead of Biden’s Thursday press conference, Blumenthal told reporters that he still needs to see more data to be assured of the president’s path to victory over Trump.
“Some of my concerns are allayed, some others have been deepened,” Blumenthal said Thursday afternoon. “I need more of the kind of analytics that show the path to success.”
Meanwhile, Himes’ colleagues in the House have also not yet deviated from Biden. Their comments ranged from tepid support of the president to statements that did not mention him by name.
When asked Monday if he is confident in Biden, U.S. Rep. John Larson, D-1st District, said he trusts the judgment of his political mentor, former U.S. Sen. Chris Dodd, D-Conn., who is a friend and adviser to the president. Larson said he spoke with Dodd after the presidential debate and that Dodd assured him of Biden’s capabilities.
U.S. Rep. Jahana Hayes, D-5th District, who faces the most competitive reelection race in the state, said Tuesday she “support the Biden-Harris agenda,” adding that “I know what’s at risk if that work ends and I recognize what Donald Trump brings to the ticket.”
U.S. Rep. Rosa DeLauro, D-3rd District, has similarly said she supports Biden, but would only repeat that sentiment when asked follow-up questions.
And in a statement from earlier this week, U.S. Rep. Joe Courtney, D-2nd District, said his main goal is preventing Trump from winning the presidency again — notably without mentioning Biden’s name.
“I will support the most pragmatic and effective path to achieving that goal,” Courtney said in a Monday statement.
Nancy DiNardo, the Democratic state chair of Connecticut, said a Himes staffer informed her before the president’s news conference of the congressman’s intention.
She declined to discuss the substance of Himes’ message.
“I have no comment on that,” she said.
Gov. Ned Lamont has been in talks with Himes — and pretty much everyone else, as he wryly noted earlier this week — but he could not a be reached.
Lamont, who was the first governor to endorse Biden in the 2020 race, has cautioned Biden about playing defense for the remaining months of the campaign.
“We can’t play defense for the next four months,” Lamont said in an interview earlier this week. “We’ve been playing defense for 10 days waiting for the dust to settle. The dust is settling, and we’re still playing defense. And that does not win elections.”
Lamont had virtually participated in White House meeting with Democratic governors around the country. The concerns he relayed in that meeting prompted a call from Biden himself to Lamont the next day.
This is a developing story, which will be updated.
Connecticut Public's Frankie Graziano and the Connecticut Mirror's Mark Pazniokas contributed to this report.
The Connecticut Mirror/Connecticut Public Radio federal policy reporter position is made possible, in part, by funding from the Robert and Margaret Patricelli Family Foundation.
This story was originally published by the Connecticut Mirror.
