New Bedford Guide Your Guide to New Bedford and South Coast, MA
By Sam Drysdale
State House News Service
Sen. Jason Lewis of Winchester called for President Joe Biden to step down as the Democrats’ nominee for president in the race against former President Donald Trump this fall, following a nationally televised debate between the candidates Thursday night.
“President Biden has contributed a lifetime of distinguished public service to our nation. In 2020, he rose to the challenge of defeating Donald Trump and restoring dignity and honor to the presidency,” Lewis posted on X Friday morning. “Under his leadership, our country has made tremendous progress. But now it is time for him to step aside.”
Lewis called for an open Democratic Party convention this summer to select a presidential nominee to run in November. “Our party has many younger leaders who are experienced, talented, and ready to step up and defeat Donald Trump and MAGA Republicans,” he wrote.
In the hours since the debate ended, Democrats of all levels have dodged questions about the president’s performance. Several national outlets have reported that some in the party are considering alternatives to Biden.
Gov. Maura Healey — a staunch Biden supporter who has been campaigning for the president — told reporters Friday afternoon that the president’s debate performance was “tough to watch.”
“Joe Biden had a bad debate performance — it was tough to watch,” Healey said at the State House on Friday, according to a video posted to X by Politico reporter Kelly Garrity.
“I also saw Donald Trump stand up there and lie. I saw he bragged about overturning Roe, once again, and taking away care for women. I also heard him talk about his refusal to talk about the results of the last election, and refusal to commit to accepting results of the next election and refusal to denounce the insurrection. So, you know, it’s more of the same from Donald Trump, and the stakes couldn’t be higher,” Healey said.
When a reporter asked if the Democratic party needs to rethink Biden’s nomination, Healey did not respond as she was walking away.
“I know I’m not a young man, to state the obvious,” Biden said in a speech Friday afternoon. “Folks, I don’t walk as easy as I used to. I don’t speak as smoothly as I used to. I don’t debate as well as I used to. But I know what I do know: I know how to tell the truth, I know right from wrong, and I know how to do this job.”
Rep. Mike Connolly also took to social media to air concerns about Biden’s debate showing and his prospects in a general election rematch against Trump.
“There is no way to defend President Biden’s atrocious performance last night. We have to figure out a way to stop Trump from winning the election,” he wrote on X.
