Biden to meet with Democratic governors Wednesday amid campaign crisis

Democratic governors will meet with President Joe Biden on Wednesday, a Biden official confirmed, almost a week after his concern-raising debate performance against presumptive 2024 GOP White House nominee Donald Trump.

Some governors will attend the session with the president in person, others virtually.

Democratic governors had gathered on a call Monday and discussed wanting a conversation with the White House.

A national Democratic official familiar with the call confirmed that the group conversation took place and said the Biden campaign knew in advance the phone meeting was happening.

“Democratic governors are some of the President and Vice President’s most proactive and vocal supporters because they’ve seen how the Biden-Harris Administration’s accomplishments are directly benefiting their residents,” the source said in a statement. “The Biden/Harris team is in constant communication with the governors and their teams, including about yesterday’s meeting.”

Monday’s call included governors only, with no members of staff, the Democratic official confirmed.

Governors on the phone brought up concerns about Biden, as well as raising those concerns publicly, according to CNN’s Jake Tapper.

A spokesman for New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy confirmed his participation in Monday’s call, which he characterized as routine and pointed to comments Murphy made on Saturday while hosting a fundraiser for Biden. “You’re on fire and we’re all with you 1,000%,” Murphy told the president, calling him a “comeback kid.”

In Kansas, Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly declined to speak about Biden’s fitness to be president following a Tuesday morning event on tax cuts. She referred to a previous statement and walked out of the room following questions about the president and reported call.

“While I have never been shy about standing up in Washington when it’s wrong for Kansas, the President’s record of delivering bipartisan results speaks for itself,” Kelly said in a statement Friday, the day after the debate. “His efforts will continue to allow Kansas to recruit new manufacturing businesses, rebuild our infrastructure, and stand up for our fundamental freedoms. He is a decent man of strong character. I will support him in November.”