Out gay Rep. Mark Pocan tells Biden to end campaign amid growing pressure

Out Wisconsin Congressman Mark Pocan (D) on Friday became the third gay House Democrat to publicly call on President Joe Biden to give up his reelection campaign.

Pocan released a letter with three other House Democrats calling on the president to “pass the torch” to a new generation of leaders as panic overwhelms faith in Biden’s ability to wage a successful campaign.

Related:

Out Congress members disagree whether Biden should drop out or stay in the race

Several have asked him to drop out, several have given their full support, and others have stayed quiet.

“We must face the reality that widespread public concerns about your age and fitness are jeopardizing what should be a winning campaign,” wrote Reps. Pocan, Jared Huffman (CA), Mark Vesey (TX), and Chuy Garcia (IL). “These perceptions may not be fair, but they have hardened in the aftermath of last month’s debate and are now unlikely to change.”

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“We believe the most responsible and patriotic thing for you to do in this moment is to step aside as our nominee while continuing to lead our party from the White House.”

Four more House Democrats are calling on President Biden to step aside, putting the total number at 27 who have gone public with their push.

The four include two members of the progressive caucus — Jared Huffman and Mark Pocan. Also the group includes a member of the… pic.twitter.com/TFXwy2UcfO

— Manu Raju (@mkraju) July 19, 2024

Pocan joins out House members Rep. Angie Craig of Minnesota and Rep. Eric Sorenson of Illinois in publicly calling for Biden to step aside.  

At least three other LGBTQ+ members among a total of 12 in the House and Senate have questioned the president’s viability in his campaign against former President Donald Trump.

Rep. Mark Takano (D-CA), Chair of the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee, told senior members on a Zoom video conference last week that it’s evident Biden “is not the best person to carry the Democratic message,” according to CBS News. Takano hasn’t gone public with his concerns, nor has he denied them.

Last Thursday, New York Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-NY) described “a continuing pattern of denial and self-delusion” in the Biden campaign in a post on X.

“The President did not just have one ‘bad debate.’ The reality we saw with our own lying eyes is evidence of a deeper challenge,” he wrote. “The notion that the President is going to be saved by this interview or that press conference misses the forest for trees.”

Rep. Becca Balint of Vermont said in a written statement last week that she had “heard overwhelmingly from Vermonters that they would like to see President Biden step aside in this race,” though she didn’t explicitly call on Biden to stand down.

As of Friday afternoon, at least 33 Democratic House and Senate members have publicly called on Biden to end his bid.

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