Democrat in Michigan House of Representatives: Biden’s candidacy endangers seats in the states
A Democrat in the Michigan House of Representatives said Tuesday that President Joe Biden’s poor performance in the debates and his insistence on continuing to run as the Democratic nominee could jeopardize several national elections in Michigan as well as the Democrats’ majority in the state’s House of Representatives.
In a lengthy social media thread on Tuesday, Democratic state Rep. Phil Skaggs of East Grand Rapids called on the 81-year-old president to “pass the torch to a new generation of leaders,” citing the risk to Michigan Democrats in subsequent elections if Biden refuses to step down.
According to Skaggs, the state will see several close congressional elections, a hotly contested Senate race and an election to the state’s entire House of Representatives, where Democrats have a narrow 56-54 majority.
“A collapse at the top of the voter list would seriously endanger a dozen of my colleagues,” Skaggs said. “I don’t want my friends to lose. We have more work to do together to rebuild Michigan.”
Skaggs’ post appears to be the first by a Democratic state lawmaker to openly call for Biden to resign. House Representative Noah Arbit, D-West Bloomfield, called earlier this month for “Biden to be replaced,” saying he was “totally unfit for the job at hand.” Biden has repeatedly said he will not resign.
Skaggs’ statement came two days after Democratic Attorney General Dana Nessel posted a cryptic message on social media praising U.S. women’s national soccer team athlete Alex Morgan for her handling of the news that she would not be competing in the Olympics for the first time in years.
Many Democrats believed the post was a direct reference to calls for Biden to resign.
“I adore Alex Morgan,” Nessel wrote on X, formerly Twitter. “One of the greatest of all time. But she has aged significantly since her best days as a player and has gracefully accepted that it is time to pass the baton to win gold.”
“No one will ever forget her incredible accomplishments,” Nessel continued. “But Alex only wants the best for the team and for America. That’s what makes her a true champion.”
Nessel and her spokeswoman did not respond to requests for comment on the tweet.
The social media posts came as Biden continues to come under fire for his age and his poor performance at the June 27 debate against former Republican President Donald Trump, in which the Democratic president was soft-spoken, frequently faltered and spoke incoherently at times. Biden has insisted he will remain the nominee, and Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, who has been discussed as a possible successor, has reiterated her support for Biden.
“He has my full support,” Whitmer said of Biden during an interview Tuesday morning on ABC’s “Good Morning America.”
Later in the day, Whitmer acknowledged on MSNBC’s “Alex Wagner Tonight” that the “debate did not go well,” but said the president had made it clear he would not drop out of the race.
Whitmer said our Democratic colleagues must “stop wringing our hands and roll up our sleeves” to prevail in the November election.
“There is still a lot of work ahead of us, but we are capable of getting this done,” Whitmer said.
Several leading Michigan Democrats will miss the Biden campaign’s planned rally in Detroit for Friday, including Whitmer, who is traveling on her book tour, and Nessel, who will also be out of town, according to their offices.
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Only two members of Michigan’s Democratic congressional delegation have so far confirmed their plans to attend the rally: U.S. Reps. Haley Stevens of Birmingham and Shri Thanedar of Detroit.
Both have issued statements in recent days reiterating their support for Biden as the party’s nominee. Stevens told The Detroit News that she is helping organize Friday’s event.
“This morning I woke up more motivated than ever to re-elect Biden Harris. I trust our President and know he is the one to get the job done,” Stevens tweeted.
Republicans in Michigan have been quick to capitalize on the instability within the Democratic Party.
“The Democrats are imploding at the national and state level,” said Rep. Bill G. Schuette, a Republican from Midland and chairman of the House Republican Campaign Committee. “Whether they nominate Biden or dump him, Republicans will win the White House and the state House of Representatives because the Democrats’ weak policies are failing in Michigan.”
Republicans are targeting several seats in the state House of Representatives currently held by Democrats, including Skaggs’ 80th District in suburban Grand Rapids. State Rep. John Fitzgerald, a Grand Rapids Democrat serving his first term, will face former Republican state Rep. Tommy Brann in November. The two familiar names are going head-to-head in a race that House Democrats cannot afford to lose.
Skaggs suggested in his social media thread that the threat of Trump returning to the White House was too great to risk Biden remaining the Democratic nominee.
The Democrats “must be the party that puts the interests of the nation above the ambitions of any individual,” Skaggs said.
“As much as we focus on national issues, the impact of Biden remaining on the ballot goes beyond just him and the presidency,” Skaggs said. “Any decline in voter enthusiasm will lead to serious problems with voter turnout, which will impact all candidates on the ballot.”
Arbit said in a July 1 post that the Democratic Party needs “a new candidate and a new strategy quickly.”
“Our way of life is at stake,” Arbit said. “Don’t tell me to calm down and don’t tell me how much Biden has done.”
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