Joe Biden gets backing of Democratic governors after weak debate performance

Democratic governors of New York, Minnesota and Maryland said they would support U.S. President Joe Biden’s reelection bid after discussion with him about his performance in the first debate with Donald Trump.

The Democratic governors of New York, Minnesota and Maryland on Wednesday said they would support U.S. President Joe Biden's reelection bid after a candid discussion with him about his weak performance in last week's debate.

"The president has always had our backs. We're going to have his back as well," Maryland Governor Wes Moore told reporters after a meeting with Mr. Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris at the White House that included 24 Democratic governors and the mayor of Washington, D.C., some joining online.

Mr. Moore said the governors were frank in relaying negative feedback from constituents about Mr. Biden's poor performance during the debate with Republican rival Donald Trump. He said there was clearly work to do before the Nov. 5 election, but Biden had made it clear he would stay in the race.

"The president... he's our nominee. The president is our party leader," Mr. Moore said. There has been growing talk among Democrats in recent days that 81-year-old Biden should drop out of the race.

New York Governor Kathy Hochul said she felt confident after the meeting and all the governors pledged their support to Mr. Biden. The president is "in it to win it," she said.

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, the chair of the Democratic Governors Association, said Mr. Biden's debate performance on Thursday was bad but he felt Mr. Biden was fit for office.

"Obviously we, like many Americans, are a little worried. We're worried because the threat of a Trump presidency is not theoretical," Mr. Walz said, adding that the previous Trump presidency was marked by "chaos, destruction."