Elaine Fudge, 50, of Acworth, Ga., said she thought it was too late to seek a new candidate.
“I don't think it's wise at this point,” he said. “Anyone who can do that, there's going to be some skeleton hiding in the closet who's going to drag and play the harp, the harp, the harp. And then I think we're going to lose the White House.”
But other Democrats around the country, stunned by the debate, now think the riskier path is for him to stay. It's a message coming from voters and some elected officials in both swing states and solidly Democratic territory.
“He's not ready for work,” said Lisa Bergeron, 63, of Bristol, R.I. “It's okay! There's no shame in that. But there's a shame in letting this go on the way it's happening.”
In Georgia, Mr. Hightower described feeling conflicted: He still considers himself a Democrat, but he has deep concerns about Mr. Biden. He said he would reconsider supporting Mr. Trump if Biden withdrew for a younger, more dynamic candidate.
“They still have the right ideas in their heads,” he said of Democrats. “He's more than his spokesperson.”
Jennifer Medina and Kellen Browning contributed reporting from Las Vegas.