President Joe Biden's horrible debate performance on June 27 has many wanting him to withdraw. However, this would actually be counterproductive for Democrats, and here's why.

First, national and swing-state polls — even immediate post-debate polls — all have the race a tossup; FiveThirtyEight rates it a coin toss when fundamentals are factored in. John Fetterman won his Senate seat in 2022 despite a terrible debate performance two weeks before the election. Biden still has 17 weeks, with a convention and second debate.

Second, in the primary era, whenever a president stepped aside or faced a serious primary challenge, his party lost the White House. A president who ran with no serious challenge — like now — almost always won.

Third, no seriously suggested replacement candidate is polling as well against Trump as Biden, not even Harris — the only one who'd have access to the money Biden has raised.

Fourth, the president's party only has retained the White House running a non-incumbent in times of relative contentment.

The bottom line is, while Biden may or may not defeat Donald Trump, no one else can! Democrats must stop panicking and close ranks behind him for the sake of American democracy.

Robert Alan Gustafson II,

Butler