Biden rejects growing calls for him to exit presidential race

US President tells campaign team, Democratic leaders he is up to the job

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US President Joe Biden vowed to stay in the 2024 presidential race during calls with campaign staff and meetings with Democratic lawmakers and governors on July 3, as he sought to shake off calls for him to drop out after his shaky debate performance last week.

He dialled in to a call with worried members of his campaign team and told them he was not going anywhere, according to two sources familiar with the call.

"No one is pushing me out. I'm not leaving. I'm in this race to the end," Mr Biden said in a separate email blast by his campaign, urging supporters to "pitch in a few bucks" to help defeat his Republican rival Donald Trump in the Nov 5 US presidential election.

The US President met virtually and in person with 24 Democratic governors and the mayor of Washington on the evening of July 3 to reassure them that he is up to the job of standard-bearer for the party after the faltering debate performance.

Only three of the governors - the leaders of New York, Minnesota, and Maryland met reporters afterwards, vowing to stand with Mr Biden after what they called an honest discussion about his bad performance in the debate.

"The President has always had our backs. We're going to have his back as well," Maryland Governor Wes Moore said.