President Joe Biden continues to face pressure from fellow Democrats to bow out of the race as the November election approaches.
On Friday, his campaign chair Jen O'Malley Dillon acknowledged on MSNBC's "Morning Joe" that President Biden has encountered some "slippage in support," but said the president is vowing to remain in the race. Many Democrats have expressed concerns over Biden's age and mental acuity following last month's presidential debate.
O'Malley Dillon acknowledged that recent weeks have been tough but insisted President Biden can defeat former President Donald Trump this fall despite falling behind in recent polls.
"We believe on this campaign we are built for the close election we are in and we see the path forward,” she said.
RELATED STORY | These congressional Democrats have called on President Biden to exit the presidential race
A campaign memo sent by the Biden campaign to reporters said polling is showing that swing voters were not swayed by President Biden's debate performance.
"And while voters consistently mention President Biden’s age when contacted, our target voters – both reengagement and true swing voters – are still planning to vote for him, making it clear the debate has not hurt support among the voters who will decide this election," the memo read.
But other Democratic lawmakers are more concerned. On Friday, seven members of Congress publicly called on President Biden to drop out of the race, bringing the total of Democratic lawmakers who have publicly urged him to drop out to 27 House Democrats and three Senate Democrats.
Earlier this week, AP-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research released a survey finding that 65% of Democrats believe President Biden should drop out of the race. Compared to a February poll, fewer Americans believe President Biden has the mental capacity to serve as president. In February, 40% of voters were confident he has the mental capacity to be an effective president. As of July, only 27% of voters now believe he mentally capable of being effective as president.
The movement among Democrats is gaining financial traction. The group Pass the Torch is launching its first TV ad on Monday, which will air on "Morning Joe" on Monday. The group said it is airing the ad on "Morning Joe" as it has been reported that it is the president's favorite program.
The 30 congressional Democrats represent a fraction of the Democratic lawmakers on Capitol Hill. For the most part, congressional Democrats have offered their support for President Biden in public, although that support has not been full-throated.
