First sitting Democrat calls for Biden to sit out 2024 race after debate disaster

In a first, a sitting Democrat has called for President Joe Biden to get out of the presidential race.

Texas Democrat Rep. Lloyd Doggett came forward Tuesday, likening the hard decision he says Biden must make for the sake of the nation to the one made decades ago by another sitting Democratic president.

'I represent the heart of a congressional district once represented by Lyndon Johnson,' the Texan said in a statement. 'Under very different circumstances, he made the painful decision to withdraw.

'President Biden should do the same,' he continued. 'While much of his work has been transformational, he pledged to be transitional.

'He has the opportunity to encourage a new generation of leaders from whom a nominee can be chosen to unite our country through an open, democratic process,' Doggett's statement continued.   

'My decision to make these strong reservations public is not done lightly nor does it in a any way diminish my respect for all that President Biden has achieved.'

'Recognizing that, unlike Trump, President Biden's first commitment has always been to our country, not himself, I am hopeful that he will make the painful and difficult decision to withdraw. I respectfully call on him to do so.' 

While other former Democrats and liberal pundits have speculated on Biden's ability to hold the presidency through 2028, should he win, there have been no other sitting Democrats who have gone as far in their calls as Doggett. 

Doggett, 77, is a respected member of the Democrat House caucus, having served in the chamber since 1995.

He also lauded Biden's work as president, but ultimately conceded Joe's debate performance was not one of a competitive candidate. 

'President Biden has continued to run substantially behind Democratic senators in key states and in most polls has trailed Donald Trump,' he said. 

'I had hoped that the debate would provide some momentum to change that. It did not.'

'Instead of reassuring voters, the President failed to effectively defend his many accomplishments and expose Trump's many lies.' 

National Republican Congressional Committee Communications Director Jack Pandol criticized Doggett's announcement for coming too late. 

'The cowards in the Democratic Caucus have spent every day after the debate in witness protection, too afraid to say what they’re all thinking,' Pandol said in a statement.

'Americans remember House Democrats were complicit in covering up and gaslighting the public about the president’s condition, and voters are primed to punish them in November.'