President Joe Biden expressed his determination to continue his run for the 2024 presidential election in a letter addressed to Democratic members of Congress on Monday, July 8.
He urged the Democratic Party to unite and move forward as a cohesive political entity.
In the letter, Biden wrote: “I want you to know that despite various speculations in the media and elsewhere, I am firmly committed to staying in this race, seeing it through, and defeating Donald Trump.”
Biden mentioned engaging in “extensive conversations” over the past ten days with Democratic leadership, elected officials, ordinary members, and Democratic voters.
“I have heard people’s concerns. I am not turning a blind eye to them,” he said.
The letter came at a crucial moment in his campaign, as a small group of Democratic lawmakers began calling for his withdrawal after his debate with former President Trump on June 27.
Reminding Democratic members of Congress, Biden emphasized that the nomination process is “open to anyone who wants to run.”
“We have a Democratic nominating process, and voters have clearly and decisively expressed their opinion,” he stated.
“I have received over 14 million votes, representing 87% of the total votes in the nomination process. I have nearly 3,900 delegate votes, which put me in a strong position as the presumptive nominee of our party,” he continued.
“This is their decision. Not the media, not the experts, not the big donors, and not any selected interest groups, no matter how well-intentioned they may be. The voters – only the voters – can decide the Democratic nominee,” Biden underscored.
Biden made the letter public on the social media platform X.
“For over a week, discussions on how to proceed have been widespread. It’s time to end the uncertainty. We have one job, and that is to defeat Donald Trump,” he wrote.
He further pointed out, “We are 42 days away from the Democratic National Convention, and 119 days away from the election. Any weakening of resolve or ambiguity about the future task will only help Trump and harm us.”
On June 27, Biden and his Republican opponent Trump engaged in the first presidential debate for the 2024 election at the CNN studio in Atlanta, lasting 90 minutes.
After the debate, some Democratic lawmakers, media, and experts called for Biden to exit the race.
On the morning of July 8, Biden, in an interview with Microsoft National Broadcasting Corporation (MSNBC), said, “I don’t care what the millionaires think.”
“The party elites are making me increasingly frustrated,” Biden said, adding that these elites think “they know too much.”
“If any of these people think I shouldn’t run, then run against me, declare your presidential candidacy, challenge me at this convention,” Biden stated.
Since the first presidential debate, Biden has been actively seeking support. At a White House meeting last week, he assured 24 Democratic governors that he would continue to campaign.
Prior to this, he held discussions with key congressional leaders, including Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries. As part of his efforts to address Democratic concerns, he also sat for an interview with ABC News anchor George Stephanopoulos in Wisconsin, which aired on July 5.