Biden’s Reelection Bid “Hugely Problematic,” Says Rep. Newhouse

There's no nice way to put it: the Democratic Party is basically in freefall.

Ever since the blunder-ridden spectacle of last month's CNN debate, there have been calls - some within President Biden's own party - for him to discontinue his reelection campaign. This frail, doddering space cadet will cost Dems big time in November, according to people like Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, a vaguely gothy freshman congresswoman from Southern Washington.

Biden ran in 2020 as an imperturbable and righteously bipartisan Mr. Fixit. Now he seems broken beyond repair. (What does it say about Donald Trump and his self-inflicted reputational damage that he's "running evenly" with Biden?)

Get our free mobile app

Rep. Dan Newhouse will likely never call on the president to resign. An addled Joe Biden is politically useful for Newhouse, the Sunnyside Republican who has represented Washington's 4th district since 2015. But the congressman has eyes and ears just like everyone else.

"The list is growing of those that are stepping forward saying [Biden] should drop out," Newhouse says. "It's still not a huge list, at least not publicly, but I think behind closed doors, the number of people expressing concerns is growing."

"I think it's a huge problem on their part. We're getting close to convention season; the election is not that far away. For them to be having these kind of conversations is not an envious position to be in [laughs]."

Biden's presence on the ticket, Newhouse says, will have a chilling effect down-ballot.

"A lot of members of Congress are concerned that this will bleed down to their races - for good or bad. Many people are concerned that Biden will hurt them and their reelection chances."