First Democrat senator BREAKS with Biden, says he could drag the party down and 'we could lose the whole thing'
Colorado's Michael Bennet became the first Democrat in the Senate to join several house colleagues and break with Joe Biden after his disastrous first debate.
Bennet, briefly a presidential candidate in 2020, was one of three liberal senators sourced as saying Biden would lose to Trump in November at the current rate, alongside Sherrod Brown of Ohio and Jon Tester of Montana.
In an interview later Tuesday, he confirmed that what was reported, that he thinks Trump is on pace to beat the 81-year-old Biden.
'Well, it's true that I said that and I did say that behind closed doors and you guys and others asked whether I said it, and that is what I said. So, I figured I should come here and say it publicly,' he said.
Bennet, while not explicitly calling for Biden to drop out, said that he thinks Democrats could lose more than their hold on the presidency in this election.
Colorado 's Michael Bennet became the first Democrat in the Senate to join several house colleagues to break with Joe Biden after his disastrous first debate
'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,' Bennet said.
'I think that we could lose the whole thing,' he told CNN.
Bennet, unlike Tester and Brown, is not in a swing state and not even up for re-election this year.
He sees it as a matter of Democrats - who put Donald Trump on a pedestal as a unique threat to democracy - not having the right candidate to defend it in Biden.
'It's not a question about 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.'
He said the Democrats in the Senate will continue to discuss the issue this week but that people have been pressuring him about Biden's health.
'These are my voters who have said to me, 'I've been through this with my mom, I've been through this with my dad. I'm terrified about what it will mean if Donald Trump is elected president again in this country.'
Biden campaign spokesperson Kevin Munoz responded to Bennet's comments in a statement.
Bennet, while not explicitly calling for Biden to drop out, said that he thinks Democrats could lose more than their hold on the presidency in this election
Bennet said the Democrats in the Senate will continue to discuss the issue this week but that people have been pressuring him about Biden's health
'No one is more committed to defeating Donald Trump and defending our democracy than Joe Biden, and few know better than Joe Biden the importance of showing up and campaigning to earn the support of voters. This was always going to be a close race,' Munoz said.
Bennet is the first member of the Senate to publicly suggest Trump will win the election, while Democrats in the House of Representative have been much more clear.
Mikie Sherrill, a New Jersey Democrat, on Tuesday became the 10th member of the Congress to request Biden drop out.
She stated that she would support Vice President Kamala Harris as Biden's replacement on the ticket, according to the Washington Post.
Senate Democrats have largely held the line backing the president as he vows to stay in the 2024 race.
'As I've said before, I'm for Joe,' declared Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer to waiting reporters as he returned from a recess this week. He reiterated that position following lunch with fellow Democratic Senators on Tuesday.
Even as some in his caucus have raised questions or concerns over the president's debate performance, no member in the Democrats slim Senate majority have openly called for President Biden to step down so far.
Senator Jon Tester (D-Mont.) said Biden has to 'prove to the American people' that he's 'up for the job for another four years.'
Senator Mark Warner (D-Va.) called for conversations on the strongest path moving forward. He says Trump is a threat to democracy
What some Democratic senators have done however is pressure the president to prove he's up for the task of a vigorous campaign and second term.
Bennet told DailyMail.com Tuesday it's 'really important for us as Democrats to have an open discussion' so they have a path to winning the White House and both chambers of Congress, but he stopped short of calling for the president to step aside.
As questions swirl for Senate Democrats, Republicans eye Biden as a way to go after vulnerable senators up for reelection this year.
Multiple incumbent Democrats are running in states that Trump won in 2020 and face tough challenges from GOP opponents. The 2024 map appears more friendly for Republicans taking the Senate majority.
Republican candidates and party operatives in the past few weeks have seized on the president's debate performance to raise questions about Biden's fitness and attack Democratic senators suggesting they're covering for the president and White House.
