Former U.S House of Representatives Speaker, Nancy Pelosi has said Democrats might have fared better in Tuesday’s election if President Joe Biden had exited the race sooner.
Pelosi, one of Washington’s most prominent lawmakers, remarked that “had the president gotten out sooner, there may have been other candidates in the race.”
Her comments are the latest finger-pointing from Democrats, who lost control of the White House and probably both chambers of Congress on Tuesday.
Pelosi is widely believed to have led the Democrats’ effort to remove Biden, who left the race at the end of July after weeks of pressure following a dismal debate performance against Donald Trump.
As Biden’s campaign ended, he promptly endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris to succeed him.
On Tuesday, she was soundly defeated by President-elect Trump.
Pelosi said an open primary would have involved a number of Democratic candidates competing to be elected by party members to succeed Biden as their White House nominee.
Pelosi argued that Harris would have done well in such a primary process, and it would have made her “stronger going forward.”
Speaking to political news outlet Politico, Harris aides also laid the blame at Biden’s feet and said he should have bowed out sooner.
However, a former Biden aide told Axios, another political news outlet, that Harris was making excuses.
