DETROIT – Amid calls from Democrats for President Joe Biden to end his reelection campaign, leaders in the Michigan Democratic Party are coming to his defense.
“At the end of the day, the president is going to be the nominee, and we are going to be there to make sure he wins in November,” Wayne County Commissioner Jonathan Kinloch said.
Kinloch is the 13th Congressional District chair for the Democratic party.
Biden has said he’s staying in the race despite concerns from some in the party about his debate performance and whether he’s up to campaigning and governing if reelected.
“A person has a bad day, and all of a sudden, we want to throw them overboard,” Kinloch said.
So far, only a handful of congressional Democrats have publicly called for Biden to end his reelection bid. None of them represent Michigan.
“I support President Biden 100%,” Rep. Shri Thanedar said. “He is our best chance, best hope to beat Donald Trump.”
Thanedar says he plans to greet Biden at DTW when he arrives in Detroit on Friday (July 12) to campaign.
Rep. Haley Stevens addressed worries by some Democrats in Congress that Biden as their nominee could hurt their races.
“I remain really enthusiastic,” Stevens said. I recognize we are in a tough moment; people are nervous.”
Rep. Debbie Dingell appeared on CNN and tried to shift the party’s attention back to the presumptive Republican nominee.
“For 13 days, Donald Trump and the Republicans have loved watching every minute of this discussion,” Dingell said. “We have got to get back as a party, as leaders, talking about what’s at stake in November.”
““I have full confidence in President Biden, and here in Michigan we aren’t worrying, we are doing the work to defeat Donald Trump and MAGA Republicans this November. The facts are clear, Joe Biden has spent his entire life serving this country while Trump has spent his entire life serving himself. The Biden-Harris Administration has taken on Big Pharma, stood with union workers, and made the largest federal investment in infrastructure in a generation – meanwhile Trump and his MAGA allies in state have laid out a clear plan to take control over Michiganders’ lives and drag us into the past. I am confident that Michigan will send Joe Biden and Kamala Harris back to the White House this November and elect Democrats up and down the ballot.”
Chair of the Michigan Democratic Party Lavora Barnes