House Democrats remain divided on Biden as nominee after private meeting

House Democrats left a closed-door meeting Tuesday still divided after airing their private views about whether President Biden should remain the party’s nominee.

While the majority of members willing to speak to reporters afterward said they would support Mr. Biden, both those backers and lawmakers who still have concerns said more conversations are needed before Democrats would unify.

“I’m going to let this play out and then I will have something more to say,” said House Rules ranking member Jim McGovern.

While the Massachusetts Democrat declined to say where he stands on Mr. Biden remaining the nominee, he called him “one of the most effective presidents in my lifetime” and said all Democrats seem to agree on that.

But some Democrats said they have outstanding concerns about Mr. Biden’s ability to beat former President Donald Trump in November. Those concerns have intensified since the president’s weak debate performance against Mr. Trump on June 27.

“What you have to see from the president — and this means stop talking about us, stop calling into ’Morning Joe’ and saying, ’you know, I’m frustrated with my colleagues on the Hill’ — go out there and make the case with the American people about the existential threat that Donald Trump poses to our democracy and our lives,” said Rep. Greg Landsman, Ohio Democrat. “And do it day in and day out for the next couple of weeks, and things will change.”

At least two of the six House Democrats who had publicly called on Mr. Biden to step aside before the meeting — Reps. Lloyd Doggett of Texas and Mike Quigley of Illinois — said they reiterated their concerns in the meeting.

“I share admiration for his work in office,” Mr. Doggett said. “But the dangers of the Trump presidency are so significant that we have to put forward our strongest candidate.”

Mr. Doggett and Mr. Quigley said they would ultimately support Mr. Biden if he secures the nomination at the Democratic National Convention in August. They both declined to characterize any concerns aired beyond their own, keeping with a request by Democratic leaders to keep the discussions private.

“I don’t want to be excommunicated,” Mr. Quigley said. “I’m already off the Christmas card.”

House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries and other party leaders did not air their views in the meeting, which they set up as a “listening session” for rank-and-file members to share their thoughts, lawmakers said. The expectation is Mr. Jeffries will communicate the private feedback to Mr. Biden and the White House, but lawmakers said it’s not clear exactly what form that may take.

Rep. Don Beyer, Virginia Democrat, acknowledged he raised some concerns during a private leadership call on Sunday but declined to share them after Tuesday’s meeting, saying he is “very committed to the president.”

“He is our best opportunity to beat Donald Trump, and he has the record to run on,” Mr. Beyer said, noting he expects Democrats will all come together behind the president “probably in the next day or two.”

Others said they believe that those Democrats airing concerns will come around.

“Democrats, it’s our nature to be independent,” said Rep. Stephen F. Lynch, Massachusetts Democrat. “But I think in the end, if the president is committed to making this run, every Democrat will be with him.”

Rep. Jared Huffman, California Democrat, said the force driving concerns among some in the party — the desire to defeat Mr. Trump — is the same thing that will bring the doubters back on board.

“We’re a family and we’re going to work this out, and we’re going to win an election that we need to win,” he said.

Mr. Biden and Mr. Trump are both “old fellas,” but only Mr. Biden is being attacked, Rep. Jim Costa said.

“I think he’s done a good job as president, and he doesn’t get credit for that,” the California Democrat said. “And you look at the other fella who lied 30 times in 90 minutes and you’re not talking about it. I don’t get it. He’s a convicted felon. I don’t get it. He’s been charged and convicted for rape with over a $60 million penalty. I don’t get it. Nobody’s talking about that. And his own fumbling that takes place when he’s talking about sharks and electric motorboats. I don’t get it.”

A New York civil jury found Mr. Trump liable in 2023 for sexually abusing advice columnist E. Jean Carroll in 1996. She was awarded $5 million, and $83.3 million in a separate defamation case against Mr. Trump.

Several Democrats expressed their hope that party unity would come quickly in the coming days. The Republican National Convention is next week, and Democrats want to focus on attacking Mr. Trump and whoever he announces as his vice presidential nominee rather than continue party infighting over Mr. Biden’s viability.

“I think while the Republicans are having their convention, more and more Democrats will see what’s going on and understand the stakes in November and will continue to get behind the president as we move forward,” said Rep. Maxwell Frost.

The 27-year-old Florida Democrat said he will be campaigning for Mr. Biden in New Hampshire this weekend, and that with the president also planning to be aggressively on the trail, “I feel really good about the road ahead.”