As calls for President Joe Biden to drop his reelection bid grew louder Friday, the commander-in-chief also got a dose of public support from several high profile New Yorkers. 

In an Instagram live feed, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez said people “underestimate” Biden and argued for keeping the Biden-Harris ticket intact. “I have not seen an alternative scenario that I feel does not set us up for enormous peril,” she said.

What You Need To Know

  • On Friday, cracks in the Democratic dam continued to grow, as more members of Congress joined the chorus publicly calling on President Joe Biden to bow out of the 2024 election, pushing the total number to north of 30

  • But, several high profile New York lawmakers also lined up behind the president Friday

  • In an Instagram live feed, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez said people “underestimate” Biden and argued for keeping the Biden-Harris ticket intact, saying “I have not seen an alternative scenario that I feel does not set us up for enormous peril”
  • Rep. Hakeem Jeffries also publicly sided with the president, albeit with some possible wiggle room, saying, "We have a ticket right now. And we're going to support that ticket"

The Bronx congresswoman and progressive star also warned that if Biden were to step aside, lining up a replacement may not be straightforward, pointing blame at what she labeled the “donor class” and “elites.” 

“If you think that there is consensus among the people who want Joe Biden to leave…that they will support Vice President [Kamala] Harris, you would be mistaken,” she said.

Also on Friday, Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, speaking at an event with Gov. Kathy Hochul, called Biden a “great presidential candidate.”

“He can defeat Trump. He will kick his butt. And we are all in,” she said. 

Earlier in the week, ABC News reported that House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries of Brooklyn suggested to Biden in a private meeting that he should drop his reelection bid, amid concerns that Biden could lose by such a large margin, he could hurt Democrats in down ballot races.

However, on Friday, Jeffries publicly sided with the president, albeit with some possible wiggle room. 

“He has the vision, I believe, the ability, the capacity and the track record to make a case to the American people that will result in us being successful in November,” Jeffries said. “We have a ticket right now. And we’re going to support that ticket because the stakes are too high at this moment in time.”

Cracks in the Democratic dam have continued to grow, as more members of Congress joined the chorus publicly calling on Biden to step aside, pushing the total number to north of 30.

Among those now adding their names to the list: Sen. Sherrod Brown, who is facing a tough reelection bid in Ohio, and Rep. Zoe Lofgren, a close ally of former Speaker Nancy Pelosi. 

So far, only one New Yorker on Capitol Hill — Rep. Pat Ryan, who represents a competitive Hudson Valley seat — has publicly called on Biden to drop out. He did so last week.

Friday’s new defections come as Biden remains at home in Delaware, still recovering from COVID. In a statement, Biden said he looked forward to returning to the campaign trail next week. 

If Biden steps aside, it is not perfectly clear who would replace him. At least one Democratic operative in New York told Spectrum News that a younger, fresh face could inspire excitement, potentially helping with competitive down ballot races across the state as well.