Many Democrats were deeply hurt by Biden's disastrous debate performance two weeks ago and have faced growing calls from lawmakers and fundraisers for him to step aside.

President Joe Biden's re-election campaign is facing speculation and uncertainty as reports suggest a possible switch-up on the Democratic ticket. Despite Biden's public commitment to take on Donald Trump in November, several reports reveal a different story. The Biden-Harris campaign is reportedly preparing for a scenario where Vice President Kamala Harris could step in as the Democratic nominee. Recent leaks indicate that the campaign's analytics team is assessing Harris' viability in a general election showdown with Trump. However, there is skepticism among some of the president's top aides about Harris' ability to overtake Biden. A New York Times article based on anonymous sources highlighted this internal debate within the campaign. White House spokesman Andrew Bates has denied claims of a secret survey and asserted his unwavering support for President Biden.

Before the Times reported on the alleged general election poll, NBC News cited three campaign insiders who said many people working to re-elect him now see his chances of winning as zero in the post-debate results. “He needs to get out,” a Biden campaign official told NBC. “He will never recover from this.” “No one involved in the effort thinks they have their way,” another source told the outlet.

Biden's disastrous debate performance

Many Democrats were deeply hurt by Biden's disastrous debate performance two weeks ago and have faced growing calls from lawmakers and fundraisers for him to step aside.

Earlier in the day, Democratic leaders challenged Joe Biden to provide convincing evidence of a viable path to re-election after his debate performance, poor battleground state polls and growing concern that he may not be able to defeat former President Donald Trump.

After a CNN debate with former US President Donald Trump on June 28, leaders are pushing Biden to drop out of the presidential race, though he has announced he is staying and is confident he will defeat former Trump.

Most recently, Biden said in a July 9 letter to congressional Democrats that he would continue his reelection bid despite concerns about his mental health.

Further, he also said he would “end this race” in the November election, despite private calls from Democrats to drop out. In the letter, Biden called for unity within his party, emphasizing the need for a collective effort to defeat former President Donald Trump in the upcoming election.

“Any lack of resolution or clarity about the work ahead helps Trump and hurts us. Now is the time to come together, move forward as a united party and defeat Donald Trump,” Biden said.

On July 8, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries held a leadership call, where several top House Democrats urged President Joe Biden to withdraw from the 2024 campaign and expressed serious concerns about his potential impact on the Democratic Party's chances in the upcoming elections.

(with input from agencies)