Rep. Mark Takano is latest LGBTQ+ lawmaker calling for Biden to step aside

In a development that highlights the mounting tensions within theDemocratic Party, Rep. Mark Takano, an out gay member of Congress, has joined the call for PresidentJoe Biden to step aside in the 2024 presidential race.

During a pivotal Zoom meeting on Sunday with House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and other senior Democrats, Takano, who chairs the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee, articulated his concerns about Biden’s electability.According to CBS News, Takano said that it is evident Biden “is not the best person to carry the Democratic message.”

Takano’s decision to speak out aligns him with a growing contingent of Democratic lawmakers who have publicly called for Biden to withdraw. This group includes Reps. Lloyd Doggett ofTexas, Raul Grijalva ofArizona, Seth Moulton ofMassachusetts, Mike Quigley ofIllinois, Angie Craig ofMinnesota, and Adam Smith ofWashington. Craig, a lesbian, was the first LGBTQ+ lawmaker to call for Biden to move out of the way. These lawmakers have presented arguments centered on the need for fresh leadership and the risks associated with a potential Trump return.

Doggett was the first to break ranks, urging Biden on July 2 to consider withdrawing for the greater good of the party. Grijalva echoed this sentiment, stressing that Biden should take responsibility for ensuring the Democratic seat remains secure by stepping down. Moulton suggested Biden should follow George Washington’s example by not seeking another term, while Quigley and Craig emphasized the high stakes of the upcoming election. Smith pointed out Biden’s decreasing effectiveness in conveying the Democratic message.

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In a Saturday morning statement posted on X (formerlyTwitter), Craig acknowledged Biden’s decades of service and legislative achievements but pointed to his recent debate performance as a critical factor in her decision.

“Given what I saw and heard from the President during last week’s debate in Atlanta, coupled with the lack of a forceful response from the President himself following that debate, I do not believe that the President can effectively campaign and win against Donald Trump,” she wrote.

Despite these growing calls for withdrawal, Biden has steadfastly committed to his campaign. In a letter to congressional Democrats on Monday, Biden reaffirmed his resolve to stay in the race, highlighting that the Democratic voters have chosen him as their presumptive nominee. He warned that any attempt to remove him would undermine the democratic process.

Biden has increased his outreach to congressional members and engaged in a series of high-profile appearances to solidify his position. On Monday morning, he called MSNBC’s Morning Joe and addressed concerns about his age.

On Monday afternoon, Democratic Sen. Mark Warner ofVirginia added a perspective that underscores the situation’s urgency. Warner suggested that Biden must more aggressively communicate his case to the American people and engage with a broader range of voices to prevent Trump’s return to power. Warner had planned a Monday meeting with Senate Democrats to discuss Biden’s candidacy but ultimately canceled it, according to a source familiar with his thinking.