Sen. Michael Bennet of Colorado has become the first Senate Democrat to publicly express doubts about President Joe Biden's ability to win the upcoming election.
During an appearance on CNN, Bennet confirmed he had shared these concerns with colleagues Sens. Jon Tester of Montana and Sherrod Brown of Ohio, though he stopped short of calling for Biden to withdraw from the race.
“Well, it’s true that I said that, and I did say that behind closed doors. And you guys and others asked whether I had said it, and that is what I said. So I figured I should come here and say it publicly,” the senior US senator said.
Bennet, who previously ran against Biden in the 2020 primary, raised concerns over recent polling showing former President Donald Trump leading Biden less than four months before Election Day.
“Donald Trump is on track, I think, to win this election and maybe win it by a landslide and take with him the Senate and the House,” he cautioned.
“So for me, this isn’t a question about polling, it’s not a question of politics. It’s a moral question about the future of our country, and I think it’s critically important for us to come to grips with what we face if, together, we put this country on the path of electing Donald Trump again.”
President Biden has recently remained resolute, declaring in conference calls and a public letter to Democratic lawmakers that he is the party’s nominee and will not step down. However, Bennet’s remarks are seen as a blow to Biden’s campaign, which has been working hard to prevent Democratic defections and solidify support on Capitol Hill after Biden's poor debate performance on June 27.
Bennet’s statements might also encourage other skeptical or vulnerable Democrats to voice similar concerns.
Congressional Democrats met behind closed doors on Tuesday to discuss the next steps, and most of them were tight-lipped as they exited the meeting, describing the discussion as “constructive.”
However, according to CNN, Bennet, Tester, and Brown, had all expressed concerns about Biden's chances of winning the election. The report also suggested that these concerns were raised individually rather than collectively.
Both Brown and Tester are facing tough re-election campaigns this fall.
“I have very legitimate questions about this,” Brown commented but refrained from discussing private meetings.
Meanwhile, Tester did not deny the reports about his remarks and chose not to comment further.
Later, he issued a statement saying, “President Biden’s bad debate performance raised serious questions about whether he’s up [to] the job for the next four years. As I have said, he needs to prove to the American people, and me, that he can do it.”