In a significant move, Democratic Representative Lloyd Doggett of Texas has become the first congressional Democrat to publicly call on President Joe Biden to withdraw from his reelection bid. Doggett stated that Biden's poor performance in last week's presidential debate and his trailing position behind his Republican opponent, former President Donald Trump, were reasons for his call.

During the debate, Biden, 81, appeared to stumble at times, struggling to defend his record and losing his train of thought. Despite calls from some Democrats and donors for him to step aside and allow another party leader to run, Biden and his campaign have remained steadfast in their commitment to continue in the race and make a comeback.

While elected Democrats have publicly shown support for the president thus far, Doggett's call stands as a notable departure. The Biden campaign did not immediately respond to Doggett's statement. However, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre mentioned that Biden would be holding discussions with Democratic governors and Hill leaders this week.

The aftermath of the presidential debate left many House Democrats grappling with how to respond. Although acknowledging Biden's poor performance, none publicly stated that he needed to step aside. However, the results of a new CNN poll, released five days later, revealed that most voters believe Democrats would have a better chance with another nominee. This has led to an increasing willingness among some Democrats to distance themselves from the White House.

Doggett, representing a strong Democratic district, highlighted that Biden was trailing Trump in most polls. In his statement, he expressed disappointment that the debate did not provide the momentum to overturn this position. Doggett criticized Biden for failing to effectively defend his accomplishments and expose Trump's alleged lies.

Prominent congressional Democrats such as former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and South Carolina Representative Jim Clyburn, who played instrumental roles in securing Biden's 2020 nomination, have come forward to publicly defend the president and pledge their support. However, Pelosi's tone seemed to shift on Tuesday when she indicated that other Democrats could raise concerns about Biden's ability to continue.

Referring to Pelosi's comments, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre acknowledged the legitimacy of the question but attributed Biden's performance to a bad night resulting from a cold. Earlier on Tuesday, Representative Mike Quigley of Illinois expressed reservations about the impact on down-ballot Democrats, highlighting the importance of Biden's decision on other elected positions.

Doggett emphasized that Biden staying in the race presented a significant risk of Trump winning the election, particularly in light of Monday's Supreme Court decision granting Trump broad immunity from prosecution. Drawing a historical parallel, Doggett evoked former President Lyndon Johnson's painful decision to withdraw under different circumstances, suggesting that Biden should follow suit.

The House GOP's campaign arm wasted no time criticizing most Democrats for keeping their opinions about Biden mostly to themselves or only providing background quotes to journalists. The National Republican Congressional Committee spokesperson, Jack Pandol, accused House Democrats of complicity in covering up and gaslighting the public about the president's condition, warning that voters will hold them accountable in November.

While Democratic strategists have noted that Democratic incumbents in key Senate contests have been outperforming the president in polls for weeks, House Democrats in swing districts appear to be recognizing a similar trend, at least for now. However, if dramatic changes occur in both internal and public polls in the coming days, more calls for a change in candidacy could arise among lawmakers.