Joe Biden holds firm on campaign; political officials react
MILWAUKEE - President Joe Biden again says he's staying in the race. He tells Congressional Democrats they should stop talking about whether he should step aside.
Senator Tammy Baldwin’s own race will help decide who controls the senate. Some of her fellow Democrats said Biden should step aside.
Democratic senators are meeting behind closed doors on Tuesday, July 9.
With President Joe Biden’s campaign on the line, Democratic Sen. Tammy Baldwin wasn’t in this crowd on Friday in her home city of Madison.
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Joe Biden 'declines' to step aside; wants 'drama to end'
The commander-in-chief wrote a letter to congressional Democrats reaffirming his plans to stay in the presidential race after his shaky performance in the first debate against Donald Trump.
Instead, she was nearly 200 miles away in Marinette County.
A reporter asked for her thoughts on whether Biden should stay in the race.
"I will tell you that I am focused on my own campaign. And I’m doing this Fired Up for Tammy Tour, I’ve been doing it all week. I’m focused on making sure we have a path to victory," said Tammy Baldwin.
When pressed, Baldwin said, "Look it's not my decision. I’m focused on my own campaign."
The Democratic senator is polling better than the Democratic president.
President Biden and former President Donald Trump
In the latest Marquette Poll of Wisconsin, voters found a tied presidential race in a two-person matchup.
With third parties on the ballot, the president is behind by three points.
But, the same poll found Baldwin holding a five-point lead over Republican challenger Eric Hovde.
"I think Senator Baldwin, who’s just called President Biden the most accomplished president in generations, now has decided that she doesn’t want to be too close to President Biden. So, I think she has to make her position clear. She’s been a full-throated supporter of President Biden, so does she still have that position after the debate?" asked Senate candidate Eric Hovde.
Wisconsin Democratic Chairman Ben Wikler defended Baldwin and Biden.
"We need to be everywhere at once, and today we are," said Ben Wikler. "Sen. Baldwin has a whole tour of the northeast, long planned, people signed up and fired up to support her. She’s fulfilling her commitments to do those events and President Biden is here in Madison. I love having Democrats charging up crowds all over the state of Wisconsin and I hope we see a lot more of that."
While some top-ranking Democrats have called for Biden to step aside, the president has shot down those calls.
It could be a make-or-break week for President Biden in Washington as Congress comes back into session.
Biden's letter
Now, the president writes Congressional Democrats: "The question of how to move forward has been well-aired for over a week now. And it’s time for it to end."
This year, Senator Tammy Baldwin missed five of the president’s six visits to Wisconsin.
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She joined him in Superior in January, that was the last time.
On Friday, her campaign said he had a pre-planned campaign tour in the works for weeks.
For the others, her campaign said she was back in Washington doing her job as a Senator.