Democrats weigh Biden’s impact on House races as Republicans grow confident of holding majority

WASHINGTON (AP) — Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries provided a succinct answer this week when asked if President Joe Biden was a liability for the most vulnerable House Democrats seeking reelection — “No.”

But a growing number of congressional Democrats are indicating otherwise. And it’s not just the lawmakers representing true battleground districts but also House members in districts viewed as relatively safe.

About 20 House Democrats have called on the president to withdraw from the race since his debate with former President Donald Trump two weeks ago, and the number is growing by the day. Some are in highly competitive races, such as Reps. Angie Craig of Minnesota, Eric Sorensen of Illinois and Pat Ryan of New York. Others hold seats in Democratic strongholds, such as Reps. Mike Quigley of Illinois and Adam Smith of Washington.

With Republicans having a strong chance to retake the Senate and Trump gaining momentum for the presidency, many Democrats view the House as their best chance of preventing the GOP from controlling the White House and both chambers of Congress. They need to flip just four seats to retake the majority and give Democrats a seat at the table for any major legislative initiative. Still, some lawmakers fear their chances are slipping away.

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