Democrat Sean Casten of Downers Grove
Daily Herald file
U.S. Reps. Sean Casten of Downers Grove and Jesus “Chuy” Garcia on Friday added their voices to the growing chorus of Democrats calling for President Joe Biden to end his reelection campaign over fears of losing not only the Oval Office but also Democratic control of Congress.
Their announcements came less than a day after former President Donald Trump accepted the Republican nomination for president in a speech that further galvanized his party’s support despite a recent felony conviction and other legal problems regarding his efforts to overturn the 2020 election.
In a telephone interview with the Daily Herald Friday, Casten praised Biden’s political accomplishments and said he still has “every confidence” that Biden can carry on the duties of president. But Casten said he no longer believes Biden can make the campaign a referendum about what he would do in four more years in the White House versus what Trump would do in four years.
“We’ve all seen the polling,” said Casten, who serves parts of Cook and DuPage counties as the representative for Illinois’ 6th District. “I’m petrified and my constituents are petrified of another Trump term.”
Casten, who is seeking a fourth term representing Illinois’ 6th District in Congress in the Nov. 5 election, also expressed concern that Biden remaining in the race would drag down Democrats seeking down-ballot posts, including those running for U.S. House and Senate seats.
“The stakes of this election are so damn high,” Casten said. “We don’t have a lot of time to put us into a position to succeed.”
Three other members of Illinois’ Democratic delegation to Congress — Brad Schneider of Highland Park, Mike Quigley of Chicago and Eric Sorensen of Moline — earlier publicly called for Biden to drop out of the race.