2024 election updates: 'I've gotta finish this job,' Biden says

He is holding his first post-debate news conference.

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Last updated: Friday, July 12, 2024 1:07AM GMT
Biden holds press conference amid calls to drop out of campaign
Biden holds press conference amid calls to drop out of campaignPresident Biden answered questions from reporters as he faced growing calls from within his own party to step aside from his re-election bid.

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 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.

Thursday evening, Biden held his first post-debate news conference.

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Jul 12, 2024, 12:57 AM GMT

13th House Democrat call on Biden to step aside

Hawaii Democratic Rep. Ed Case and Arizona Democratic Rep. Greg Stanton became the 12th and 13th House Democrats to call on President Joe Biden to step aside.

"I do not believe President Biden should continue his candidacy for re-election as President," Rep. Chase said in a statement. "This has nothing to do with his character and record. If it did, there would be no decision to make. This is solely about the future, about the President's ability to continue in the most difficult job in the world for another four-year term."

FILE - U.S. Rep. Greg Stanton, D-Ariz., speaks at the Capitol, Thursday, April 6, 2023, in Phoenix.
FILE - U.S. Rep. Greg Stanton, D-Ariz., speaks at the Capitol, Thursday, April 6, 2023, in Phoenix.

In a statement, Rep. Stanton said Biden was "a fierce defender of American democracy," but called Trump an "existential threat to our Constitution and the rule of law."

"The Democratic Party must have a nominee who can effectively make the case against Trump, and have the confidence of the American people to handle the rigors of the hardest job on the planet for the next four years," Stanton said. "For the sake of American democracy, and to continue to make progress on our shared priorities, I believe it is time for the President to step aside as our nominee."

ByLauren Peller ABCNews logo
Jul 11, 2024, 7:22 PM GMT

11th House Dem Rep. Schneider calls on Biden to 'pass the torch'

Rep. Brad Schneider, D-IL, calls on President Joe Biden to step aside from the 2024 Presidential race.

The congressman is the 11th House Democrat to publicly call for Biden to leave the race.

"The time has come, however, for President Biden to heroically pass the torch to a new generation of leadership to guide us to the future he has enabled and empowered us to pursue," Schneider says in a lengthy statement.

Schneider is the vice chair of the New Democrat Coalition.

MORE | Illinois Rep. Schneider calls on President Biden to 'pass the torch,' following Rep. Quigley's lead

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Jul 11, 2024, 6:24 PM GMT

It's been months since Biden formally faced the press solo

Biden's high-stakes press appearance scheduled for Thursday night is his first formal solo news conference since November 2023.

The president's last similar outing came nearly eight months ago when he took questions from reporters after his summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping in California.

At that news conference, Biden called on reporters from four organizations, one of whom asked two questions.

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre jumped in to end the news conference after the fourth reporter, though Biden proceeded to answer an additional nine questions.

Biden's most recent joint news conference was during the G7 summit last month.

ByRick Klein ABCNews logo
Jul 11, 2024, 5:43 PM GMT

Biden campaign is polling on Harris' strength against Trump: Source

President Joe Biden's campaign is testing head-to-head matchups of Vice President Kamala Harris against former President Donald Trump, a source familiar with the strategy told ABC News. It's a strategic shift that comes with increasing scrutiny on whether Biden should end his 2024 reelection campaign.

The source casts this as a response to the fact that Trump has begun to attack Harris in his public statements and speeches.

"Donald Trump shifted his stump speech. We'd be dumb not to adjust," the source told ABC News. "We obviously pay close attention to what he is saying."