Colin Van Ostern watched the June 27 presidential debate on his couch until, thankfully, his 10-year-old wanted to go to bed. The candidate for New Hampshire’s second congressional district turned the TV off halfway through.

“I don’t think it was fun for most Americans to watch,” he said.

Voters across the country are expressing growing concerns over President Joe Biden’s ability to win the 2024 election after a disastrous debate performance late last month. As the president remains steadfast in his commitment to stay in the race and many party leaders continue to tout the Democratic nominee, legislators and candidates like Van Ostern are in the hot seat to either fall in rank and support the president or call on him to drop out and risk the consequences.

The Monitor contacted each member of the Granite State’s all-Democrat congressional delegation, as well as the two Democrats vying for New Hampshire’s second district, to get their stance on Biden’s campaign.

Most said they supported Biden’s decision to remain in the race but dodged questions over their concerns about the president’s mental acuity and ability for the job. All of them emphasized the importance of beating Trump in November. Only one – Chris Pappas – encouraged Biden to reconsider.

Maggie Goodlander and Van Ostern are competing to replace Rep. Annie Kuster, who isn’t seeking reelection, and both remained firm in their approval of Biden.

Van Ostern was less enthusiastic than his opponent but said he still supports the president.

“Even after that debate, it is crystal clear to me that there’s only one candidate in this race who is fighting to protect reproductive rights, who’s fighting for everyday families, who will stand up to Vladimir Putin in Europe, and that’s Joe Biden,” Van Ostern said.

Van Ostern said clearly Biden has some work to do. The president will have to regain the confidence of voters after struggling to deliver his message during the debate, he said, but he’s also noticed a general feeling of angst around this election.

“I think that most of us feel like our government is not working well enough for us, that it hasn’t been for a long, long time,” Van Ostern said. “They’re nervous about the outcome of the election because our democracy is at stake right now, and so I do think there’s a lot of anxiety out there.”

His opponent, Maggie Goodlander, was much more optimistic. In an interview at a campaign event this week, she reaffirmed strong support for the president. Goodlander has strong ties to the Biden administration, having worked for the Justice Department and as a White House senior advisor.

Goodlander continues to throw her support behind her former boss, not just because she believes in his track record but because, like many others said, she doesn’t want another Trump presidency. During her speech at the campaign event, she warned voters of Project 2025, the Republican playbook gaining widespread attention that would theoretically go into effect if Trump wins in November.

“I’m gonna support the Democratic nominee,” Goodlander told the Monitor. “We have to beat Donald Trump.”

When asked whether she has concerns about Biden’s mental fitness and ability to remain in the race, Goodlander didn’t answer. She instead alluded to his State of the Union speech from this March, where Biden delivered a sharp, fiery address to Congress.

Current New Hampshire officeholders all declined interviews with the Monitor. Most didn’t stray from the party mainstream, saying they’ll continue to support the president. Pappas, who represents the state’s first congressional district, was the only one who encouraged Biden to reconsider.

In a statement to the Monitor, he said that after talking with voters, he understands Biden’s debate performance was “deeply concerning” for many.

“President Biden was unable to make an effective case or hold Donald Trump accountable for his lies and extreme agenda,” Pappas said in a statement. “The president must decide whether it’s possible for him to rebuild confidence and continue in this race.”

Outside of New Hampshire, Biden faces rocky terrain. On Wednesday, Sen. Peter Welch of Vermont became the first U.S. senator to publicly call on Biden to drop out – it’s unclear whether his colleagues will follow suit. Others, like Sen. Mark Warner of Virginia, have discussed the party’s future behind the scenes.

“It is incumbent on the president to more aggressively make his case to the American people,” Warner said in an X post on Monday.

And so he has. In recent weeks, the president has made multiple forceful statements echoing his intentions to stay in the race. Thursday night, in his first solo news conference this year, he delivered a speech with defiant insistence on his ability to do the job and win the election, but not without a few flubbed names and sentences. Major donors to the largest Biden-backing super PAC are also withholding around $90 million as long as he’s the nominee, The New York Times reported yesterday.

In statements, Sen. Jeanne Shaheen and the outgoing Kuster both touted Biden’s leadership and accomplishments but didn’t directly address the Monitor’s questions of whether the president should continue or is fit for office.

Sen. Maggie Hassan acknowledged Biden’s poor debate performance in a statement to the Monitor but said she still stands with him.

“President Biden had a bad debate, but he has a clear record of fighting for the American people, which is why I continue to support his reelection,” Hassan said.

Charlotte Matherly is the statehouse reporter for the Concord Monitor and the Monadnock Ledger-Transcript in partnership with Report for America. Follow her on Twitter at @charmatherly or send her an email at cmatherly@cmonitor.com.