The Washington Post reported that Biden spoke with Hakeem Jeffries, the leader of the Democrats in the House of Representatives, in an effort to prevent opposition to his candidacy among Democratic members of Congress. After their conversation, Jeffries spoke with Democratic leaders in Congress to maintain unity within the party.
In the coming days, Biden plans to conduct several interviews with the media in the US to show the American public that the recent confrontation was an isolated incident. There are reports that Biden is considering withdrawing from the race if he feels unable to garner public support.
Opposition to Biden’s candidacy has grown within the Democratic Party, with multiple members publicly calling on him to withdraw from the race. Former President Obama has expressed concerns about Biden’s chances and a group of about 25 members of Congress are planning to oppose him publicly if they do not see a change. If Biden decides to withdraw from the race, Vice President Harris is seen as the leading candidate to replace him. Harris has broad support within the party and sources indicate that she is likely candidate to take over from Biden. Other potential candidates mentioned include Gavin Newsom, Gretchen Whitmer, J.B. Pritzker, Gina Raimondo, and Pete Buttigieg but none have challenged Biden so far.
