2024 election live updates: Biden says he is 'looking forward to getting back on campaign trail'

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Last updated: Friday, July 19, 2024 5:35PM GMT
Pelosi privately says Biden is more receptive to calls to leave candidacy, sources say

President Joe Biden is facing a critical point in his reelection bid as Democratic calls for him to exit the 2024 race continue to mount despite his efforts to shut them down.

A poor debate performance against Donald Trump in June reignited questions about Biden's age and fitness to carry out his campaign and serve another four years. Biden has defiantly insisted he is staying the course, telling lawmakers this week he is not going anywhere.

On July 11, Biden held his first news conference since the debate -- taking multiple questions about his political future.

Key Headlines

Here's how the news is developing.
ByFritz Farrow ABCNews logo
Jul 19, 2024, 5:31 PM GMT

'I look forward to getting back on the campaign trail next week': Biden

Biden released a statement Friday indicating that he is not ending his campaign anytime soon.

"I look forward to getting back on the campaign trail next week to continue exposing the threat of Donald Trump's Project 2025 agenda while making the case for my own record and the vision that I have for America: one where we save our democracy, protect our rights and freedoms, and create opportunity for everyone," the president said.

Biden, who is self-isolating after contracting COVID-19, also criticized Trump's Thursday night keynote speech at the RNC, saying the former president "focused on his own grievances, with no plan to unite us and no plan to make life better for working people."

"Last night the American people saw the same Donald Trump they rejected four years ago," he said.

ByAllison Pecorin ABCNews logo
Jul 19, 2024, 4:35 PM GMT

3rd Democratic senator calls on Biden to step aside

Sen. Martin Heinrich of New Mexico, became the third sitting Democratic senator to call on Biden to end his reelection bid.

Heinrich said in a statement Friday, "this moment in our nation's history calls for a focus that is bigger than any one person," citing a possible Trump victory.

"By passing the torch, (Biden) would secure his legacy as one of our nation's greatest leaders and allow us to unite behind a candidate who can best defeat Donald Trump and safeguard the future of our democracy," he added.

ByLauren Peller ABCNews logo
Jul 19, 2024, 3:45 PM GMT

4 more Democratic House members call on Biden to step aside

A group of four House Democrats -- Reps. Jared Huffman, D-Calif.; Marc Veasey, D-Texas; Chuy Garcia, D-Ill.; and Mark Pocan, D-Wis. -- released a joint statement Friday calling on President Biden to step aside and end his campaign.

"Democrats have a deep and talented bench of younger leaders, led by Vice President Kamala Harris, who you have lifted up, empowered, and prepared for this moment," the group of lawmakers wrote in their letter.

Pocan and Huffman are part of the Congressional Progressive Caucus and Pocan recently campaigned with Biden in Wisconsin.

FULL LIST: These are the Democrats who have called for President Joe Biden to step aside

Garcia is a member of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus.

Veasey is a member of the Congressional Black Caucus, and its first member to call on Biden to step aside.

ABCNews logo
Jul 19, 2024, 12:50 PM GMT

Pelosi privately says Biden is more receptive to calls to leave candidacy, sources say

Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has privately told some House Democrats she believes President Biden is more receptive to hearing calls for him to step aside and that those conversations could push him to make a decision soon, according to two people familiar with the conversations.

Biden, however, has publicly insisted he has already made his decision and it is to stay in the race.

This comes as a slew of top Democratic leaders have come out to publicly ask the President to not run for re-election.