Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) praised President Biden as a “true patriot” Sunday after the president announced that he would “stand down” and not run for reelection, focusing instead on his Oval Office duties over the next five to six months.
“Joe Biden has not only been a great president and a great legislative leader but he is a truly amazing human being. His decision of course was not easy, but he once again put his country, his party, and our future first,” Schumer said in a statement
“Joe, today shows you are a true patriot and a great American,” Schumer said.
Biden announced his decision not to run for reelection after Schumer and House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries (N.Y.) and former Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) told him in separate meetings that many Democratic lawmakers had major doubts about his ability to defeat former President Trump in November.
Schumer met with Biden at his beach house in Rehoboth Beach, Del., on July 20 and told him a majority of Democratic senators did not think he could win reelection, according to sources familiar with the message delivered to the president.
A spokesperson for Schumer last week said the leader “conveyed the views of his caucus directly to President Biden.”
Other Democrats applauded Biden’s decision to get out of the race after multiple polls showed him losing ground to Trump after his disastrous debate performance on June 27.
“For more than 50 years in public service, President Biden has always put the country before any personal concern or ambitions. It’s just who he is,” said Sen. John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.) in a statement.
“His presidency – and career – will be remembered alongside Roosevelt’s and Johnson’s for its scale, magnitude, and lasting impact on American society,” the senator added. “More than anything, I’m thankful Joe Biden has given so much to this country over a lifetime of service.”
A new Detroit Free Press poll of likely Michigan voters published Sunday showed that Trump had taken a 7-point lead over Biden in the state, which Democrats had counted as part of the so-called Blue Wall along with Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.
The poll, conducted by EPIC-MRA in Lansing, found Trump leading Biden 49 percent support to 42.