Rep. Peters’ Statement on the Presidential Election
Representative Scott Peters (CA-50) released the following statement:
“The nation owes an enormous debt of gratitude to President Biden for saving us from a second term of a Trump Presidency in 2020 and for leading with his huge heart and a steady hand in challenging times. His debate performance did not diminish his remarkable accomplishments and record of service. It’s now clear, however, that the President’s record of accomplishments will not translate into similar success in his reelection campaign. After a long primary process, we were on track to lose coming into the debate. The debate raised real concern among elected leaders, supporters, and voters that the President will not be able to wage a winning campaign. This was not a blip. And while the Biden campaign claims the post-debate national polls remain relatively unchanged, polling in the swing states has worsened alarmingly.
“Today I ask President Biden to withdraw from the presidential campaign. The stakes are high, and we are on a losing course. My conscience requires me to speak up and put loyalty to the country and to democracy ahead of my great affection for, and loyalty to, the President and those around him.
“We must find a candidate from our deep bench of talent who can defeat Donald Trump. That means fielding a ticket that can win in the swing states where Democrats are not dominant but where this election will be decided. The candidate must be selected through a fair and transparent process, and then, when we leave our convention next month in Chicago, we must rally together and fight like hell. I hope all Democrats will join me in putting the country first, preserving the progress of the past four years, and solidifying Joe Biden’s legacy as one of the great leaders of our time — by defeating Donald Trump.”
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