House Democrats in competitive races and states are currently polling on the impact of President Joe Biden’s debate performance on their races, according to sources familiar with the Biden campaign and the response on the Hill.
The sources have acknowledged concerns about Biden’s performance during the debate, with one source describing it as a disaster. Members are reportedly worried about the potential down-ballot impact on close races.
One source expressed surprise at how poorly Biden performed in the debate and praised the discipline shown by his opponent, Donald Trump. Another source mentioned that the campaign is working to address the fallout, but down-ballot Democrats remain apprehensive about the debate's effect on their races.
Despite the challenges, there is optimism that Biden can recover from the debate performance, but concerns remain about its impact on other Democratic candidates.
Following Biden's successful State of the Union address, both sources were taken aback by his debate performance. Discussions are reportedly ongoing about whether Biden should consider stepping aside, although Democrats on Capitol Hill have largely remained united.
The results of the polling are expected to be available early next week, and depending on the findings, they will be shared with the Biden campaign. If the data indicates a potential shift in House control, Democratic leadership plans to engage with the White House to address the situation.
While not all Democrats are overly worried, there is a recognition of the need to understand how the debate may impact the party's efforts to regain control of the House.
