Two Iowa Democratic congressional candidates call on Biden to withdraw reelection bid
Two of Iowa's four Democratic congressional candidates are calling for President Joe Biden to withdraw from the race, joining a growing chorus of Democrats from across the country who have said Biden's time has passed.
First District congressional candidate Christina Bohannan became the first high profile Democrat on Iowa's ballot this November to speak out Thursday afternoon. She was followed shortly after by 2nd District Democratic candidate Sarah Corkery.
Bohannan, 53, is running against Republican U.S. Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks in Iowa's 1st Congressional District, which covers 20 counties in southeast Iowa, including the cities of Iowa City, Davenport and Keokuk. Libertarian Nicholas Gluba also will be on the ballot.
The district is being heavily targeted by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, which lists it among 33 Republican-held or open seats it considers in play this November.
"Over the past couple of weeks, people all across Iowa have shared with me their grave concerns about President Biden — that it seems he is not up to the task of a strong, vibrant campaign that will provide a compelling vision for our future," she said in a statement. "I owe it to them to speak my mind. It is time for President Biden to withdraw from this campaign and pass the torch to a new generation of leadership."
Corkery, 48, is running against Republican U.S. Rep. Ashley Hinson in the 2nd District, which encompasses 22 counties in northeast Iowa, including the cities of Cedar Rapids, Waterloo, Cedar Falls and Dubuque.
"I have the utmost respect for President Biden," she told the Des Moines Register. "He was the right person to lead this country over the last four years and his legacy will be remembered forever. And now is the time for him to pass the baton to Vice President Kamala Harris. She will continue the fight to keep our democracy alive."
More: US Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks staves off David Pautsch in 1st District GOP primary
Biden, 81, has faced questions about his ability to win in 2024 and to serve a second term as president after he stumbled through the first televised presidential debate against Donald Trump, 78, late last month.
In the weeks following the debate, members of his own party have questioned whether Biden should step aside, even as the president has repeatedly emphasized that he intends to remain in the race.
Prominent Iowa Democrat and former U.S. Sen. Tom Harkin was among those suggesting Biden should release his delegates and step aside ahead of the Democratic National Convention in August.
But so far, other Democratic leaders in Iowa have stopped short of calling on Biden to end his candidacy.
Ryan Melton, the Democrat running against Republican U.S. Rep. Randy Feenstra in the 4th District, said it's fair to question Biden's condition, but he has not called for the president to step aside.
“I think it’s fair to question Biden’s fitness to serve a second term, just as I think it’s fair to question Trump’s," Melton said in a recent social media post that he shared with the Des Moines Register when asked for comment Thursday. "I think we deserve more transparency regarding medical records, cognitive tests, etc. from both. However, this subject has led to a lot of folks coming up with other candidates who could potentially replace Biden. The only option if we get that far, and I doubt we will, is VP Harris."
A spokesperson for Lanon Baccam, who is running in Iowa's 3rd Congressional District against Republican U.S. Rep. Zach Nunn, did not immediately return a request for comment.
Bohannan said she felt she needed to speak up.
"The easy thing to do at this moment would be to stay silent," Bohannan said. "After all, many Washington politicians, both Democrat and Republican, put allegiance to their party over the people they represent. It is time for a change."
She said Democratic priorities like helping the middle class, defending democracy and protecting abortion rights need to take priority.
"America deserves better than the choice for President we’re currently facing," Bohannan said in her statement. "This election is bigger than any one person. From protecting our reproductive rights and freedoms, to giving the middle class a fair shot, to defending our democracy, the stakes are just too high."
National Republican Congressional Committee spokesperson Mike Marinella called Bohannan's statement an "election-year ploy."
“Everyone can see Christina Bohannan’s statement for what it truly is, a transparent election-year ploy to try to cling to her seat," Marinella said in the statement. "President Biden is sitting in the Oval Office because Christina Bohannan and Democrats hid the truth from voters and lied about the president’s condition. Christina Bohannan must answer the question: Is Joe Biden fit to serve as President?”
Stephen Gruber-Miller covers the Iowa Statehouse and politics for the Register. He can be reached by email at [email protected] or by phone at 515-284-8169. Follow him on Twitter at @sgrubermiller.
Brianne Pfannenstiel is the chief politics reporter for the Des Moines Register. She is also covering the 2024 presidential race for USA TODAY as a senior national campaign correspondent. Reach her at [email protected] or 515-284-8244. Follow her on Twitter at @brianneDMR.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Iowa Democrat candidates Bohannan, Corkery call on Biden to drop out