Silicon Valley lawmaker tells Biden he will lose the White House

A top Silicon Valley congresswoman has a grave warning for President Joe Biden — step aside or lose the White House.

San Jose Rep. Zoe Lofgren, one of the most senior and respected members of Congress, sent a strongly-worded letter to Biden Thursday expressing significant concerns over his ability to beat former President Donald Trump. Lofgren might know more about Trump than anyone else in the Silicon Valley congressional delegation — she served as a manager for his impeachment proceedings and as a key member of a committee investigating the Jan. 6, 2021 insurrection led by his supporters.

Lofgren said she’s seen firsthand the damage a Trump presidency can do. She called him “unprincipled and corrupt.” And she highly doubts Biden can beat him in November. She fears Biden will not only lose the White House, but negatively impact other Democratic candidates on the ticket.

“As I am aware that you have been provided data indicating that you in all likelihood will lose the race for president, I will not go through it again. Simply put, your candidacy is on a trajectory to lose the White House and potentially impact crucial House and Senate races down ballot,” Lofgren wrote in a letter to Biden obtained by San José Spotlight. “It is for these reasons that I urge you to step aside from our party’s nomination to allow another Democratic candidate to compete against and beat Donald Trump in the November election.”

Lofgren’s call for Biden to step aside is the latest in a chorus of concern from elite Democrats across the nation — from former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and former President Barack Obama. All have expressed concern about Biden’s candidacy after he fumbled through a debate last month, appearing unsteady, speaking in a low raspy voice and losing his train of thought. Biden chalked it up to a poor debate performance but vowed to stay in the race — and has said he’s the best candidate to beat Trump.

Lofgren isn’t convinced.

“Unfortunately, I greatly doubt that the outcome will be positive and our country will pay a dreadful price for that,” she wrote, adding that Trump would dismantle the policy achievements of Democrats.

Other members of Silicon Valley’s congressional delegation did not immediately respond to requests for comment, including Reps. Ro Khanna and Anna Eshoo.

Eshoo is retiring at the end of this year and the two candidates vying to replace her — Evan Low and Sam Liccardo — have remained mum on the issue as well.

Lofgren ended her letter by saying she would support Biden if he became the party’s nominee. The party’s delegates will vote at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago next month for their party’s presidential nominee. Trump accepted his party’s nomination at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee this week.

“I make this request with great respect for you, your work and in hopes that your legacy of accomplishments will be preserved,” Lofgren said in the letter. “I want to be clear that should you formally become the Democratic nominee for President I will do everything I can to promote your candidacy and to work for your success.”