In a bid to allow more time for deliberation on the presidential ticket, House Democrats are circulating a letter urging the Democratic National Committee (DNC) to delay the nomination process for President Joe Biden. The drafted letter calls for the cancellation of a planned "virtual roll call" to officially nominate Biden, which was scheduled to take place as early as Sunday.

At least 19 Capitol Hill Democrats have publicly called on Biden to step back from the race following his debate performance against former President Donald Trump in June. Concerned about the potential repercussions of rushing the nomination process, House Democrats are rallying support through the letter, which has already gathered over 20 signatures.

Among those leading the effort are Representatives Jared Huffman of California and Mike Levin of California, while Representative Susan Wild of Pennsylvania has also added her name to the letter. The signers of the letter have varying opinions on Biden's reelection bid, with Levin openly urging Biden to withdraw from the race, while Wild has yet to make her stance public.

The DNC had decided in May to accelerate the nomination timeline to meet the ballot deadline in Ohio, a state that has become more Republican-leaning in recent years. However, Ohio subsequently extended its ballot deadline to the end of August. Despite this, the DNC has maintained its plan to proceed with the expedited nomination process.

House Democrats argue that without the legal justification provided by the Ohio ballot deadline, the accelerated nomination process would be seen as a purely political move. Nonetheless, the DNC has stood by its decision, stating that the timeline for the virtual roll call process remains unchanged and on schedule since its initial announcement in May.

The Biden campaign has also affirmed its support for the virtual roll call during a press conference in Milwaukee. Quentin Fulks, Biden's deputy campaign manager, noted that virtual roll calls have been conducted in previous presidential elections and emphasized the campaign's obligation to ensure Biden's presence on the ballot.

While some Democrats continue to call for Biden to withdraw from the race, the president himself has defiantly pledged to remain in contention. Biden pointed to the 14 million people who voted for him as the nominee and stated that he listens to their support.

This letter from House Democrats comes at a time when the attention of the political landscape is also drawn to the aftermath of an attempted assassination of Trump at a recent rally in Pennsylvania. The incident has further energized the Republican National Convention, where the GOP is rallying around its newly solidified presidential ticket of Trump and his running mate, Senator JD Vance of Ohio.

Amidst the divided opinions within the Democratic Party regarding Biden's future, the letter drafted by House Democrats emphasizes the need for more time to deliberate on the presidential ticket. They argue that an expedited nomination process could undermine the unity and morale of the party at a crucial moment. The letter concludes by stressing that the presidential ticket must be nominated at the Democratic National Convention in regular order, as has been the tradition.