Midterm Strategy: At Least 17 Democrats Hedge on Supporting Joe Biden in 2024

At least 17 Democrats have hedged on supporting President Joe Biden’s reelection in 2024.

While Biden has claimed he will run for reelection despite sagging poll numbers after 40-year-high inflation, recession, and the deadly Afghan withdrawal, at least 17 Democrats have refrained from openly supporting Biden in 2024. Two other Democrats, Reps. Angie Craig (D-MN) and Dean Phillips (D-MN), have outright denied supporting the president’s hopes of winning reelection.

1: Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY)

“We’ll cross that bridge when we get to it,” Ocasio-Cortez told CNN in June. “If the president has a vision and that’s something we’re all willing to entertain and examine when the time comes … we should endorse when we get to it. We’ll take a look at it.”

 2: Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-NY)

“I don’t believe he’s running for reelection,” Maloney asserted in a debate this week.

“Mr. President, I apologize. I want you to run,” Maloney said on CNN’s New Day Thursday. “I happen to think you won’t be running, but when you run or if you run, I will be there 100%,” she continued.

3: Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-NY)

“Too early to say,” Nadler also told the moderator in the same debate.

4: Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D-NY)

“I’m focused on my primary and helping us to maintain the House and win a couple additional seats in the Senate this November,” he stated.

5: Rep. Dan Kildee (D-MI)

“If the president decides not to run again obviously it’s going to be game on,” Kildee told Axios. “But he’s got to make that decision.”

6: Rep. Susan Wild (D-PA)

“I will be very honest with you and tell you I am a little bit disappointed. I know that the President assigned responsibility for the border crisis to the Vice President,” Wild said about Biden’s open border. “I’m a little bit disappointed I haven’t seen much in the way of results.” Axios has reported Wild has “dodged” the question of whether she will support Biden in 2024.

7: Rep. Tom Malinowski (D-NJ)

“I don’t even know if he’s running in 2024, or who’s running, so I’m not going to opine on who should be president,” Malinowski said in June.

8: Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV)

“You know, I’m not making those choices or decisions on that. I’m going to work with whatever I have,” Manchin told NBC News’s Meet the Press, when asked about Democrats’ prospects in the midterms.

“Everybody’s worried about the election. That’s the problem,” Manchin reiterated on ABC News’s This Week. “It’s a 2022 election, 2024 election. I’m not getting involved…”

9: John Fetterman, Pennsylvania Democrat candidate for the U.S. Senate

While campaigning in the Democrat primary, Fetterman initially refused to attend a Biden appearance in Pennsylvania but later changed his mind. As reported by Axios, Fetterman has “dodged” the question of whether he will support Biden in 2024.

10: Sen. Maggie Hassan (D-NH)

Hassan separated from Biden over the deadly Afghan withdrawal. “The Biden administration must ensure that we have a plan in place for protecting Americans in Afghanistan and those who served alongside us for the past 20 years, as well as the safety of Afghan women and girls.” As reported by Axios, Hassan has “dodged” the question of whether she will support Biden in 2024.

11: Mandela Barnes, Wisconsin Democrat candidate for the U.S. Senate

Barnes has diverged from Biden on his open borders immigration policy. “I’d like to see Biden put forward a comprehensive plan that deals with an influx of asylum seekers before we lift Title 42,” Barnes said. As reported by Axios, Barnes has “dodged” the question of whether she will support Biden in 2024.

12: Sen. Michael Bennet (D-CO)

Bennet has criticized the president for his poor management. “When you’re in the same party as the president, that’s gonna be a tough cycle,” Bennet told Politico. As reported by Axios, Bennet has “dodged”  the question of whether he will support Biden in 2024.

13: Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA)

Kaine has diverged from Biden in his handling of the United States’ relationship with Saudi Arabia. In June, Kaine said it was a “horrible idea” for Biden to meet with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. 

14: Rep. Steve Cohen (D-TN)

Cohen is running for reelection in Tennessee’s 9th solid blue district. Axios reported Cohen has “dodged” the question of whether he will support Biden in 2024.

15: Rep. Suzan Delbene (D-WA)

Delbene is running for reelection in Washington State’s 1st solid blue district. As reported by Axios, Delbene has “dodged” the question of whether she will support Biden in 2024.

16: Sen. Angus King (I-ME)

King is not up for reelection in 2022. As reported by Axios, King has “dodged” the question of whether he will support Biden in 2024.

17: Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA)

Feinstein is not up for reelection. Axios reported Feinstein has “dodged” the question of whether she will support Biden in 2024.

Editor’s note: This story previously reported that 20 Democrats are hedging on Joe Biden. It has been corrected to reflect that at least 17 are hedging.