Casten, Garcia call for Biden to withdraw from presidential race

Chicago-area U.S. Reps. Sean Casten and Jesus “Chuy” Garcia on Friday added their voices to the growing chorus of Democrats calling for President Joe Biden to end his reelection campaign over fears of losing not only the Oval Office but also Democratic control of Congress.

Their announcements came less than a day after former President Donald Trump accepted the Republican nomination for president in a speech that further galvanized his party’s support despite a recent felony conviction and other legal problems regarding his efforts to overturn the 2020 election.

In a telephone interview Friday, Downers Grove’s Casten praised Biden’s political accomplishments and said he still has “every confidence” that Biden can carry on the duties of president. But Casten said he no longer believes Biden can make the campaign a referendum about what he would do in four more years in the White House versus what Trump would do in four years.

“We’ve all seen the polling,” said Casten, who serves parts of Cook and DuPage counties as the representative for Illinois’ 6th District. “I’m petrified and my constituents are petrified of another Trump term.”

Casten, who is seeking a fourth term in the Nov. 5 election, also expressed concern that Biden remaining in the race would drag down Democrats seeking down-ballot posts, including those running for U.S. House and Senate seats. And losing both the White House and Congress to the Republicans would pave the way for a virtually unstoppable conservative legislative agenda.

“The stakes of this election are so damn high,” Casten said.

Garcia, who represents Illinois’ 4th District, joined fellow Democratic U.S. Reps. Jared Huffman of California, Marc Veasey of Texas and Marc Pocan of Wisconsin in a joint statement respectfully calling for Biden to “pass the torch” to a new generation of like-minded leaders.

“We must defeat Donald Trump to save our democracy, protect our alliances and the rules-based international order, and continue building on the strong foundation you have established over the past four years,” the statement read.

“Passing the torch would fundamentally change the trajectory of the campaign,” the lawmakers continued. “It would reinvigorate the race and infuse Democrats with enthusiasm and momentum leading into our convention next month. Mr. President, you have always put our country and our values first. We call on you to do it once again, so that we can come together and save the country we love.”

Garcia’s district includes part of Chicago’s Southwest side as well as nearby suburbs in Cook and DuPage counties.

Three other members of Illinois’ Democratic delegation to Congress — Brad Schneider of Highland Park, Mike Quigley of Chicago and Eric Sorensen of Moline — also have called for Biden to drop out of the race since a widely panned debate performance in late June that drew attention to the 81-year-old Biden’s age and mental acuity.

Trump isn’t much younger at 78. But whereas many Democratic leaders — and many Democratic voters — are seeking someone else to run for the White House, the GOP remains staunchly behind Trump as its candidate.

Not all Democrats want Biden to withdraw. U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky of Evanston on Friday said she is “100% behind the Biden-Harris team.”

“That’s the ticket that defeated Donald Trump in 2020 — and that’s the team that can do it again,” the 9th District’s Schakowsky said through a spokesman.

U.S. Rep. Bill Foster of Naperville and the 11th District hasn’t publicly moved away from supporting Biden’s campaign. But through a spokesman Friday, Foster said he and other representatives have been having “serious and private discussions” to make sure “the strongest possible candidate” faces Trump in November.

Casten said he will fully support whoever Democrats nominate at their national convention in Chicago next month, even if that candidate is Biden.

“My purpose … is not to endorse someone else,” he said when asked whom he’d like to see run for president. “It’s to put us in the best position to win.”

• Daily Herald senior writer Eric Peterson contributed to this report.

https://www.dailyherald.com/20240719/nation-and-world-politics/casten-garcia-call-for-biden-to-withdraw-from-presidential-race/