WASHINGTON — Tuesday was the first time Democrats in Congress met as a group to privately discuss President Joe Biden’s shaky debate performance against former President Trump and whether Biden should drop out of the presidential race. It was also the first opportunity for U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett, D-Austin, to make a case directly to his colleagues that Biden should step aside, but so far, no one else in the delegation is publicly saying the same. 

At least a couple of Texas Democrats left a closed-door, members-only meeting without answering shouted questions about Biden’s candidacy. Those who did answer had already made known where they stood. 

“I made my case for Biden and for a replacement,” Doggett said, leaving the meeting.  

Doggett was the first sitting Democratic lawmaker to call on Biden to end his campaign. 

He suggested others feel the same way, but if they do, many are harboring those concerns privately.

“He has many good friends. I’m one of them. I just think that it’s time for him to permit someone else to carry the banner,” Doggett said.

Other Democrats who are speaking out seem to make it clear they are siding with Biden. 

“I stand with Joe Biden 100%,” said U.S. Rep. Sylvia Garcia, D-Houston. 

“I still have full confidence in President Biden to beat Donald Trump, and we have to beat Donald Trump,” said U.S. Rep. Veronica Escobar, D-El Paso. Escobar is also one of the national co-chairs of Biden’s campaign. 

On Capitol Hill, members of the Congressional Black Caucus especially have proven to be staunch defenders of the president. 

“He is the right person for this job. He has demonstrated that he can do the job. He will do the job in the future,” U.S. Rep. Al Green, D-Houston, told Spectrum News.  

“What we don’t do is say that there was one debate, and the polling is bad, and so now we subvert the will of the people. If you will recall, Barack Obama had a bad first debate, and let me tell you, there have been other historical bad debates,” U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Dallas, told Spectrum News. 

Crockett said she believes CBC members understand their communities are on the “front lines” of the Republican-led efforts to restrict abortion rights or limit diversity, equity and inclusion programs at schools and universities. 

She went on to say the Democrats’ strength is in unity. 

“If Democrats cannot unite and say that this is about the greater good of our country, then I think that if we lose, it’s going to be on us,” Crockett said. 

While national Republicans are targeting the seat held by Rep. Vicente Gonzalez, D-McAllen, he is not shying away from supporting Biden. Gonzalez was alongside Biden when he visited the U.S.-Mexico border earlier this year. Gonzalez told Spectrum News he believes the president has been engaged in critical conversations.  

“He’s just a little slower, and I get that,” Gonzalez told Spectrum News. “We’re talking about a stable, honest person who’s led the country well for the last four years opposed to somebody who’s, you know, 92 times indicted, 34 times convicted, that’s lied to his family, lied to his wife, lied to the country, lied to the people he did business with. I think it’s an easy choice for the American people.” 

After Tuesday’s caucus meeting, Rep. Doggett did indicate though he will support the Democratic Party’s nominee. Others said it was too late to replace Biden.