DETROIT – A Democratic Michigan lawmaker is calling on his party to replace Joe Biden on the presidential ballot, saying “the country will come to an end” if Biden remains and loses to Donald Trump.
Michigan Rep. Phil Skaggs posted a long thread on X expressing the importance of the Democratic Party rallying behind the correct candidate.
“After decades of public service, the highest, final service President Biden can perform for the country is to announce he will end his run for reelection and release his delegates to the Democratic National Convention,” Skaggs wrote.
He praised Biden for his first term, but pointed to the presidential debate as evidence that it’s time for a change.
“Unfortunately, at the debate, the president was unable to convince Americans that he is capable of defeating Trump this fall,” Skaggs wrote. “Biden struggled to highlight his accomplishments, lay out a vision, or hold Trump accountable for his lies, fiascos, and authoritarian plans.
“Biden’s inability to be an effective communicator is troubling. We all hoped to see the president demonstrate the sharpness necessary to lead a winning campaign. But, we didn’t. It was heartbreaking. But, the images from the debate are now indelible in the public consciousness.”
Skaggs pointed to polls that forecast decreased voter turnout for Democrats and possible defeat in key battleground states.
“Indications are that we may be headed to a significant defeat in the fall, especially factoring in turnout problems and defections to third parties,” he said.
Skaggs also laid out his concerns about what a second term for Trump could mean for the United States.
“This election is not only about the ‘soul of America,’ but the very continuation of our beloved American democratic republic. The stakes are high, as high as they were in 1776 and 1860. Trump is an existential threat to America.
“Trump has openly stated that he wants to be a dictator. If he wins, in light of the recent shocking Supreme Court decision to place the president above the law, the country will come to an end. The glorious American experiment in democracy and the rule of law will be over.
“As a scholar of 20th Century Europe, I’ve studied men like Trump and parties like the MAGA Republicans. I am confident a second Trump imperial presidency will be a calamity of historic and global proportions. We must save our democracy from a takeover by a criminal and his gang.
“We must stare reality head-on. We must be capable of imagining a future where our form of government dies. On top of all this, we know from the Republican platform and project 2025 that Trump will attack our freedoms and the lives of every American.”
You can read the full thread from Skaggs below:
It’s Time to Pass the Torch to a New Generation
I was in Detroit in March 2020 when then-candidate Joe Biden said, “I view myself as a bridge” to a new “generation of leaders.” Pointing to Gretchen Whitmer, Kamala Harris & Cory Booker, Biden predicted, “they are the future.”
Reluctantly, but after much deliberation, the time has come for me to speak from the heart. I’ve reached the conclusion that the time has come for President Biden to be that bridge to a new generation of Democratic leaders and pass them the torch so we can defeat Donald Trump.
Joe Biden has been a very good president. President Biden returned the nation to prosperity, addressed long-neglected challenges, and healed the country from the divisions wrought by Trump’s disastrous term in office and attempted insurrection.
Biden safely brought us out of the pandemic and the Trump recession, helped create 15 million jobs, revitalized American manufacturing, expanded affordable healthcare, rebuilt our infrastructure, and invested in our people. We owe the President our eternal gratitude.
However, unfortunately, at the debate, the President was unable to convince Americans that he is capable of defeating Trump this fall. Biden struggled to highlight his accomplishments, lay out a vision, or hold Trump accountable for his lies, fiascos, and authoritarian plans.
Biden’s inability to be an effective communicator is troubling. We all hoped to see the president demonstrate the sharpness necessary to lead a winning campaign. But, we didn’t. It was heartbreaking. But, the images from the debate are now indelible in the public consciousness.
I’ve managed campaigns for 15 years. I’ve been on the ballot myself, and never lost. One thing I’ve learned during my time in the trenches: candidates matter. A candidate must be able to articulate a compelling message, inspire enthusiasm and mobilize voters to the polls.
President Biden believes he remains the best candidate to take on Trump, but he has been unable to substantiate these claims on the campaign trail. Polls conducted after the debate by the NY Times, CNN and the WSJ, all indicate Biden is trailing Trump by six points nationwide.
Polls show Biden losing nearly all battleground states. Worse yet, states Biden won in 2020 – MN, NH, NM and VA – are in play. Indications are that we may be headed to a significant defeat in the fall, especially factoring in turnout problems and defections to third parties.
President Biden is correct, this election is not only about the “soul of America,” but the very continuation of our beloved American democratic republic. The stakes are high, as high as they were in 1776 and 1860. Trump is an existential threat to America.
Trump has openly stated that he wants to be a dictator. If he wins, in light of the recent shocking Supreme Court decision to place the president above the law, the country will come to an end. The glorious American experiment in democracy and the rule of law will be over.
As a scholar of 20th century Europe, I’ve studied men like Trump and parties like the MAGA Republicans. I am confident a second Trump Imperial Presidency will be a calamity of historic and global proportions. We must save our democracy from a takeover by a criminal and his gang.
We must stare reality head on. We must be capable of imagining a future where our form of government dies. On top of all this, we know from the Republican Platform and Project 2025, that Trump will attack our freedoms and the lives of every American.
Unfortunately, we cannot expect the Trumpified Republicans to engage in soul-searching. Republicans are a cult of personality, who have nominated an immoral, twice-impeached, convicted felon who tried to overthrow a free and fair American election and install himself as dictator.
Trump should have been impeached after the January 6th failed Insurrection in 2021. But, House and Senate Republicans refused to vote guilty during Trump’s impeachments. Republicans have continually failed the country by coddling and encouraging Trump.
Therefore, although it isn’t “fair,” the Democratic Party must bear the burden of being the grown-ups in the room. We must be the party that puts the interests of the nation above the ambitions of any individual.
President Kennedy once asked us, “what good is a political party unless it is serving a great national purpose?” It is clear, the most pressing national issue of this century is to defeat Donald Trump and thereby save the American republic.
Thus, Democrats have one job. It’s not to delude ourselves into unseeing the condition of one individual. Our job is to nominate one of the two viable choices American voters will have in November. It is an enormous responsibility.
The best way to do prevent a second Trump term is with a new Democratic nominee. I urge my political party to come together and find a standard bearer from a new generation who can provide an optimistic and dynamic vision for America, while taking the fight to Trump.
As much as we focus on the national stakes, the impact of Biden staying on the ballot does not only affect him and the presidency. Any decline in voter enthusiasm will lead to serious turnout problems, which will impact candidates up and down the ballot. And this is key.
Polling is only as good as turnout modeling. I’ve seen turnout craters before, especially in 2010. Nationally, if we lose a single Senator, we’ve lost the US Senate. In the US House, if we add a handful of seats, we take back the gavel and make Hakeem Jeffries Speaker.
Here in Michigan, we have a tight US Senate race and several frontline Congressional races. Of course, our entire State House is up for reelection and we cling to a narrow 56-54 majority, which is key to the continuation of our successful Democratic trifecta in Lansing.
A collapse at the top of the ticket will seriously endanger a dozen of my colleagues. I don’t want to see my friends lose. We have more work to do together to rebuild Michigan. Clearly, this is a decision, not just for one individual, but for an entire party.
I do not come to this decision lightly, nor am I oblivious to the risks involved in replacing a nominee late in a campaign. I’ve given it great thought, read profusely, consulted with colleagues, and hoped the President would come to a painful, but selfless decision.
After decades of public service, the highest, final service President Biden can perform for the country is to announce he will end is run for reelection and release his delegates to the Democratic National Convention.
I know the above will be hard for some of you to hear. But, I believe you elected me to tell you the truth as I see it. I will live up to that calling and show courage. I will not, I cannot, let my country down.
I don’t begrudge those who come to another conclusion based on a different calculus of risks and rewards. But, I implore those who feel the same as me to stop merely making private comments, but to speak out clearly and publicly. It may be the only way to save America.
So, if President Biden follows the path of Cincinnatus, Washington and LBJ, what next? Thankfully, the Democratic Party has a strong bench of leaders who are incredibly well-equipped to present a clear and compelling alternative to the dark vision of Donald Trump.
Vice President Kamala Harris, MI Governor Gretchen Whitmer, CA Governor Gavin Newsom, PA Governor Josh Shapiro, MD Governor Wes Moore, and Senator Raphael Warnock, all could be highly talented standard-bearers in the upcoming campaign and on into the White House.
Trump is a historically horrible candidate. Republicans have lost election after election since his 2016 Electoral College win. With two stars of a new generation on the national ticket, we can expect a trouncing of Trump and MAGA Republicans up and down the ballot the country.
We can see this in the polling in swing states where our Democratic candidates are outpolling Biden from anywhere from 4% to 13.5%. Democrats are poised for a Blue Wave, all we have to do is be brave and decisive.
Make no mistake, I will be supporting the Democratic Nominee for President of the United States with all my heart and soul, but I feel compelled to do my all to ensure that we have a nominee with the best possible chance to win this fall.
Mr. President, I support you, I respect your honorable service, but the time has come to be that bridge to the future and pass the torch to a new generation of Americans.
Michigan Rep. Phil Skaggs on X
