Governors Oppose Moves by Congressional Democrats to Push Biden Aside

Democratic governors have delivered a clear message to Democratic Congress members: Abandon ship.

While it might be an exaggeration, Wednesday night saw several governors across the nation send a message that was not too far off.

By gathering in Washington to converse with President Joe Biden and then proceeding to publicly display their unwavering support for the under-fire president, the governors unavoidably complicated Congressional Democrats' attempts to subtly steer him away from re-nomination.

Concerned about the prospects of appearing on the same ticket as a seemingly irreparable nominee, Democratic politicians secretly started to distance themselves from Biden this week.

In the eyes of most congressional Democrats, reclaiming control of the House and maintaining their slim Senate majority becomes highly improbable, if not impossible, if led by a president who, according to recent polls, is perceived by a significant majority of the country as too elderly for the position.

However, the act of the governors visiting the White House, and, more importantly, their public endorsements, only served to further embolden a candidate viewed as unsalvageable by many lawmakers— which they fear could be their downfall. I have been informed by those privy to the results, that most House Democrats are leading Biden in their internal surveys. However, they are aware that they cannot overcome his drag if he's causing them a 15-point loss instead of a moderate single-digit loss — hence the pervasive fear, according to an operative involved in some Democratic Congressional races.

Committing oneself to personal political ambitions is making the support for Biden by some governors even more displeasing to Democrats in Congress. Few of these governors have reelections due this year, but many of them are keen on pursuing the presidency in the 2028 elections. However, their aspirations could be jeopardized if Vice President Kamala Harris turns out to be President Harris seeking reelection at that time. If she were to challenge former President Donald Trump in a credible, last-minute race, and lose by a narrow margin in this year's elections, denying her the nomination in four years might be challenging.

“Eliminate Kamala so she’s not the nominee in 2024 and 2028,” suggested a House Democrat on hearing about the governors backing Biden.

Of course, not all the governors harbor such cynical intentions. And I believe that none of them want Trump back in the Oval Office.

Nonetheless, several of the governors are now harboring deep doubts about Biden's ability to keep Trump from returning to power.

A governor I interviewed left the West Wing under the impression that the president is deeply in denial, suggesting that the polling hasn't worsened substantially and that he just needs to rest more and increase his campaign efforts.

In addition, as reported by my colleagues, two governors, Janet Mills from Maine and Michelle Lujan Grisham from New Mexico, expressed their concern directly to Biden that their historically blue-leaning states were now under threat.

Without stretching the interpretation too far, it can be said that the motivations of some Congress members, who are facing the voters in just a few months, and those of some governors with a longer-term view, are markedly different.

Despite discussion of a condensed primary this summer, governors with presidential ambitions are aware Harris would most likely be the Democratic nominee if Biden steps aside. If a governor were chosen as her running mate and they lost in a dignified manner, how could this running mate surpass Harris in 2028 when she would undoubtedly run again to complete the job she started under challenging circumstances? The argument practically makes itself.

The path ahead for these ambitious governors is clearer if Harris loses alongside Biden this year— in blunt terms, becoming the Dan Quayle of 2028.

However, for congressional Democrats facing a potential threat, Harris seems a better alternative to Biden at this moment — and the mere potential is currently very appealing.

Losing by a national average of three points to Trump, rather than six, could be the deciding factor in at least a dozen House seats and could make the difference between losing three-to-four or seven-to-eight Senate seats. Essentially, it is a matter of personal political survival.

An illustration of such calculation came when a group of Democrats discovered a new internal survey from the essential state of Wisconsin, which showed Biden lagging seven points behind and polling in the thirties in a ballot including third-party candidates.

Nevertheless, it can't be ignored that the public comments and private opinions of congressional Democrats about Biden show a growing disparity, one not witnessed since the Republican Party during the Trump presidency. The majority of congressional Democrats, I've been told by other lawmakers and insiders, would prefer the president to step aside. However, they continue to vote in favor, hoping against hope, as the popular saying about challenging votes goes.

However, this could change as early as next week, especially if Biden shows no signs of reconsidering. As one well-connected House Democrat informed me: “The polling will worsen slightly, and people will further lose their nerve.”

For now, though, the governors provided Biden with a temporary boost, even if that wasn’t their actual intention. They simply refrained from revealing their true beliefs to the president and the press at the White House.

“Trust me,” a Democratic governor confided in me after the White House meeting, “the governors I know do not support the current situation and desire a change.”

Olivia Brown for TROIB News