In a move to maintain an ongoing debate and avoid rushing the nomination process, a group of House Democrats is pushing the Democratic National Committee (DNC) to delay the formal nomination of Joe Biden as the party's presidential nominee. Over 20 Democrats have signed a draft letter, obtained by NBC News, calling for the DNC to reconsider their plan of a "virtual roll call" that would officially nominate Biden. This process, initially intended to address ballot placement challenges, is now being perceived as an attempt to quash the ongoing debate about Biden's candidacy.

Led by Rep. Jared Huffman of California, who has been critical of Biden but has not urged him to step aside, the group includes Reps. Mike Levin of California, Adam Smith of Washington, and Susan Wild of Pennsylvania. While some members have called on Biden to withdraw from the race, others have expressed concerns about his campaign but have yet to take a position. Nonetheless, all members agree that prematurely ending the nomination process through a rushed virtual roll call would be detrimental to the party.

The lawmakers argue that this accelerated virtual roll call, which would move up the nomination process by nearly a month, could dampen enthusiasm among Democratic voters. In a draft letter reported by The New York Times, they emphasize the importance of Democratic unity and enthusiasm leading up to the November 5th election. They request the cancellation of plans for an accelerated virtual roll call and urge the DNC to refrain from any actions that could be seen as curtailing legitimate debate or forcing an early resolution of the party nomination.

Joe Biden, however, remains firm in his stance, stating that he won the nomination fair and square with the support of 14 million voters in the Democratic primaries. Despite nearly 20 congressional Democrats calling on him to withdraw from the race, Biden emphasizes that he will not back down.

The pushback from House Democrats comes after an assassination attempt on President Donald Trump on Saturday, which temporarily halted efforts to derail Biden's nomination. The draft letter demonstrates that some Democrats have not given up on their attempts to prevent him from becoming the official party nominee.

DNC Chairman Jaime Harrison, a staunch Biden ally, countered the lawmakers' claims, stating that the timeline for the virtual roll call had not been accelerated to give Biden an advantage. Harrison clarified that the timeline has remained unchanged since the decision was made in May. He expressed excitement to nominate Joe Biden through a virtual roll call and celebrate together in Chicago in August alongside the majority of delegates who support the Biden-Harris ticket.

Quentin Fulks, the principal deputy campaign manager for the Biden-Harris campaign, defended the decision to proceed with the virtual roll call, arguing that Ohio Republicans had played games with ballot access, necessitating the campaign to ensure Biden's name appears on the ballot. Fulks reiterated their obligation to ensure a fair playing field for both President Biden and his opponent Donald Trump.

As the August convention approaches, the debate within the Democratic Party intensifies, with House Democrats seeking to prolong the discussion over Biden's candidacy. The DNC faces the challenge of maintaining unity and enthusiasm among Democrats while addressing concerns raised by members of the party.