DNC Pushes Back Biden Nomination By 1 Week

The Democratic National Committee is pushing back by a week its plans to nominate President Biden for re-election in a virtual roll call as the party’s voters and many of its top officials continue to express discontent about heading into the general election with him atop their ticket.

Top party officials announced on Wednesday that the virtual roll call for Mr. Biden would take place during the first week of August, an accommodation to Democrats who had protested about plans that would have started the voting as soon as next week.

Mr. Biden’s weak debate showing, his uneven public appearances and his struggles in the polls have raised deep worries within his party. Nearly two-thirds of Democrats want him to quit the race, according to a survey released on Wednesday by The Associated Press and NORC.

Congressional Democrats have also warned that Mr. Biden’s sagging political standing will make it far harder for them to win down-ballot races in November.Senator Chuck Schumer of New York, the Democratic majority leader, was among those who pushed the party to hold off the start to its nominating process, according to a person familiar with Mr. Schumer’s involvement.

Representative Jared Huffman of California, who in recent days has organized fellow Democrats to pressure the D.N.C. to delay its process, called the party’s new timeline “a positive step” but said it was not likely to alleviate concerns about Mr. Biden’s viability.

“It’s a heck of a lot better than a jammed process that will tear us apart next week,” Mr. Huffman said. “This whole idea of jamming it through in mid-July crumbled under pressure, and that’s, I think, a good thing.”