The shockwaves from Biden's disappointing debate performance are still reverberating…
According to reports from Politico, Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer (D) informed President Biden's campaign that the state is no longer in play.
The report indicated Whitmer shared the news during a call between Whitmer and Biden campaign Chair Jennifer O'Malley Dillon. Sources familiar with the call told the outlet that Whitmer expressed frustration that her name was being raised as a replacement for Biden in the wake of the debate.
She disavowed any effort to force Biden to drop out of the race, something a growing number of Democrats are pushing for. Another source told Politico that she gave Dillon a general warning that Michigan was no longer winnable for Biden following his debate performance.
Whitmer's reaction mirrors that of other prominent Democrats, who have publicly shown support for Biden's re-election while reportedly panicking and raising doubts about his state in private.
On Friday, Republican Congressman Chip Roy (Texas) introduced a longshot resolution pushing Vice President Harris to convene the Cabinet and declare Biden unfit to carry out the duties of the Oval Office under the 25th Amendment.
Section 4 of the 25th Amendment — which has never been used — says that if the vice president and a majority of the Cabinet or Congress deem the president as “unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office,” the vice president should “immediately assume the powers and duties of the office as Acting President.”.
Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) later on Friday said he thinks Biden's cabinet should consider removing the president in light of the debate.
Over the weekend, Michael LaRosa, who previously served as press secretary to First Lady Jill Biden, lashed out at the White House's former communications director Kate Bedingfield over her appearance on CNN's “State of the Union.”
The nonpartisan Cook Political Report shows Trump with a slight advantage over Biden in Michigan with cost of living being the main concern among voters.
When looking at the individual states, Trump leads Biden in all but Wisconsin, where the two candidates are tied at 45% each. Trump's leads in North Carolina (+7) and Nevada (+9) are the most robust. His leads in Arizona, Georgia, Michigan and Pennsylvania are much narrower, between one and three points. In 2020, Biden won every one of these states except North Carolina.
Trump's perceived strength on the economy — and immigration — are enough to help offset his other liabilities, including abortion.
New Emerson College Polling/The Hill state polls find former President Donald Trump with a slight edge on President Joe Biden in multiple swing states with Michigan (46% to 45%).
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