Most LI Democratic congressional candidates neutral on Biden's reelection prospects

WASHINGTON — Long Island’s Democratic candidates for Congress would not say whether President Joe Biden should not run for reelection, but 2nd Congressional District candidate Rob Lubin said there are better candidates than Biden.

The Democrats running to flip the three Republican-held House seats — John Avlon in the 1st District, Lubin in the 2nd and Laura Gillen in the 4th — said Thursday Biden might not be the Democrats’ presidential nominee, but the decision is up to him.

Amid growing calls for him to step aside, Biden faced another test Thursday evening as he held an unscripted news conference following the NATO meetings that could further influence Democratic candidates’ views of his fitness as a candidate.

So far, three New York Democratic House members have called on Biden to quit the presidential race — Pat Ryan, of Gardiner, Joe Morelle, of Irondequoit, and Jerry Nadler, of Manhattan, though he has switched back to supporting Biden.

Three of Long Island’s four Democratic candidates acknowledge that doubts exist about whether Biden, 81, should run for a second term after his alarming performance in the debate with Donald Trump two weeks ago and his slow response to reassure supporters he is fit to run.

The fourth, Rep. Tom Suozzi (D-Glen Cove), who is seeking another term representing the 3rd Congressional District, repeatedly has said “no comment” when asked about Biden’s candidacy. 

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and other Democratic senators planned a midday meeting with Biden campaign officials to discuss Biden and his campaign. 

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), who is running for reelection, said in a statement: "I continue to have confidence in President Biden and his ability to beat Donald Trump this November." 

Among the Long Island Democrats running for the House, Lubin came closest to calling on Biden to step aside.

“I urge the president to think carefully about whether he is the most effective messenger for the Democrats in 2024,” Lubin said in an interview.

“You know, I'm not going to substitute my opinion to replace the millions of primary voters who voted for Biden, but I do believe that there are Democrats who could better amplify Trump's extremist agenda,” he said.

“The president of the United States is the hardest job on the planet, and running the presidential campaign is maybe the second hardest job. They're both extremely demanding,” Lubin said. “And we just need to make sure that Biden is ready for that kind of fight.”

Avlon said, “I do think the contrast couldn't be clearer between Donald Trump and Joe Biden or whoever the Democratic nominee ultimately is.”

But Avlon also said it is up to Biden to make the call on whether he will continue to run.

“He needs to think, and I trust he’ll think about something bigger than himself. I think that's been the core of Joe Biden's career in public service. The stakes of this race are much bigger than any one person,” Avlon said.

Avlon and Gillen said they will focus on winning back the House.

“After the Supreme Court decision on presidential immunity, more Democrats are even more keenly aware of what an existential threat another Trump presidency could be to our democracy,” Gillen said in a statement.

“And they know that we don’t know what’s going to happen at the top of the ticket, but regardless of what happens there, we need to take back the House to be a bulwark against what could happen if Trump becomes president,” she said.

Avlon said, “From a Democrat running in a battleground district, the race that we need to run to win is about firing up the base but also winning over independent voters. And it was never going to be about the top of the ticket.”