Live

2024 election live updates: Biden 'looking forward to getting back on campaign trail'

This comes as Biden faces calls from some Democrats to drop out of the race.

ByAlexandra Hutzler, Ivan Pereira, Meredith Deliso, and Leah Sarnoff
Last Updated: July 19, 2024, 11:32 AM EDT

President Joe Biden is facing a critical point in his reelection bid as Democratic calls for him to exit the 2024 race continue to mount despite his efforts to shut them down.

A poor debate performance against Donald Trump in June reignited questions about Biden's age and fitness to carry out his campaign and serve another four years. Biden has defiantly insisted he is staying the course, telling lawmakers this week he is not going anywhere.

On July 11, Biden held his first news conference since the debate -- taking multiple questions about his political future.

Latest headlines:

Here's how the news is developing:
11:32 AM EDT

4 more Democratic House members call on Biden to step aside

A group of four House Democrats -- Reps. Jared Huffman, D-Calif.; Marc Veasey, D-Texas; Chuy Garcia, D-Ill.; and Mark Pocan, D-Wis. -- released a joint statement Friday calling on President Biden to step aside and end his campaign.

"Democrats have a deep and talented bench of younger leaders, led by Vice President Kamala Harris, who you have lifted up, empowered, and prepared for this moment,” the group of lawmakers wrote in their letter.

Pocan and Huffman are part of the Congressional Progressive Caucus and Pocan recently campaigned with Biden in Wisconsin.

Garcia is a member of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus.

Veasey is a member of the Congressional Black Caucus, and its first member to call on Biden to step aside.

-ABC News' Lauren Peller

9:16 PM EDT

Pelosi privately says Biden is more receptive to calls to leave candidacy, sources say

Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has privately told some House Democrats she believes President Biden is more receptive to hearing calls for him to step aside and that those conversations could push him to make a decision soon, according to two people familiar with the conversations.

Biden, however, has publicly insisted he has already made his decision and it is to stay in the race.

This comes as a slew of top Democratic leaders have come out to publicly ask the President to not run for re-election.

9:00 PM EDT

Sen. Jon Tester calls on Biden not to seek another term

Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., called on President Joe Biden not to seek another term in a statement Thursday, saying, "I’ve never been afraid to stand up to him when he is wrong."

Sen. Jon Tester, speaks during a hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, May 2, 2023.
Andrew Harnik/AP

"While I appreciate his commitment to public service and our country, I believe President Biden should not seek re-election to another term," Tester said.

9:00 PM EDT

California Rep. Jim Costa urges Biden to 'pass the torch'

California Rep. Jim Costa became the 22nd member of Congress on Thursday to publicly call for President Joe Biden to end his candidacy for the 2024 presidential election.

In this Jan. 17, 2019, file photo, Rep. Jim Costa speaks at a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C.
Andrew Harnik/AP, FILE

"For the good of the country, I think it is time for the President to pass the torch to the next generation to carry on the legacy he started," Costa said in a statement.

"Democrats need to unite and deliver their strongest team to the American people in this election," he said.