Whitmer to join White House meeting with Biden amid calls for him to quit race
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer planned to participate in a White House meeting with President Joe Biden on Wednesday, joining other Democratic governors for a discussion as calls for Biden to leave the presidential race have grown increasingly loud in the days following his weak debate performance against former President Donald Trump.
Whitmer will attend the meeting in person, her Director of Communications Bobby Leddy wrote in an email. He did not immediately provide any insight on what Whitmer hopes to convey to Biden at the meeting.
The meeting comes as some Democrats have expressed serious concerns that Biden can't prevail in an election against Trump, raising speculation that Biden might step aside and allow other rising national stars in his party — such as Whitmer — to replace him before Democrats officially nominate their presidential candidate.
Biden's campaign has given no indication he's considering dropping out. It would be nearly impossible to replace Biden at the top of the ticket without his consent given he has already amassed the support of a majority of the Democratic delegates he needs to secure his party's nomination.
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Whitmer — a national co-chair for Biden's campaign — has sought to shore up support for the president after his debate performance cast fresh doubts about his candidacy. Earlier this week, the national news outlet Politico reported Whitmer told Biden's campaign chair that Biden could no longer win Michigan, according to an anonymous source close to another top Democrat. Whitmer pushed back.
"Anyone who claims I would say that we can't win Michigan is full of s***," Whitmer wrote on the social media platform X, linking to a video championing Biden. She included a link to donate to the political action committee she launched to support his reelection campaign. A spokesperson for the PAC the day after the Biden-Trump debate reiterated Whitmer's support for the president when asked about the possibility she would run if Biden were to exit the race.
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Michigan is a key state for Democrats this fall. Trump narrowly won the state in 2016. Biden defeated Trump in 2020. But polling this cycle has largely shown Biden trailing Trump in the state.
The Biden campaign has planned a tour through battleground states — including Michigan — in the coming days. California Gov. Gavin Newsom plans to campaign on behalf of Biden in South Haven during the July Fourth holiday, according to information posted on Facebook by the Van Buren County Michigan Democrats. Newsom — like Whitmer — is another Biden campaign surrogate whose name pundits have floated as a possible replacement if Biden leaves the race. Biden will make his own swing state stop with a visit Friday to Wisconsin, where he will make an appearance in Madison, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
Contact Clara Hendrickson: [email protected] or 313-296-5743. Follow her on X, previously called Twitter, @clarajanehen.
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This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Whitmer plans to join governors at Biden White House meeting