Rep. Adam Smith (D-Wash.) on Monday called on President Biden to end his reelection bid, becoming the longest-serving Democrat to do so publicly.
“Well, I think he should step aside. I think it’s clear that he’s not the best person to carry the Democratic message,” Smith, the highest-ranking Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee, told CNN’s Jake Tapper’s “The Lead.” “And that’s the problem. We have a very strong message and a record of success that we’re running for office.”
Smith was one of four House Democratic leaders who said in a private call on Sunday that Biden should drop out of the race, according to people familiar with the matter.
Smith said Monday he supports putting Vice President Harris at the top of the list of candidates.
“Personally, I think Kamala Harris is a much better, stronger candidate because she is the second choice under the Constitution, that’s the way it should be,” he said, pointing out that Biden should not step down before the end of his term.
The Washington lawmaker stressed that Biden would be “fully committed” if he is selected as the party’s nominee after the convention, but said he believes Democrats “can do better.”
“Like I said, if he’s the nominee, I’ll be all in on him. Just like in 2020, when everyone said, ‘Joe Biden is the guy, let’s support him,’ I think we need a different choice to beat Donald Trump. And that’s what it’s about. It’s not about Joe Biden. It’s not about anybody in particular. It’s about moving this country forward in the right direction,” Smith said.
He also suggested Biden’s team has not addressed questions about his health head-on.
“Now, you don’t have to put all your trust in the candidate. The messengers are good. Wes Moore. [Josh] “We have some really good messengers — Shapiro, Gretchen Whitmer, Gavin Newsom — but their credibility is undermined when they can’t answer questions about the president’s health and his ability to get the message across,” he said, referring to the governors of Maryland, Pennsylvania, Michigan and California, respectively.
Smith also A statement was issued On Monday, he called on Biden to release delegates to the Democratic National Convention so Democrats can field a new candidate.
“If the President continues to campaign, it would be a mistake. He should step aside now and find a new candidate who will put him in the best position to defeat Donald Trump in November,” he said in a statement.
Biden and his campaign have maintained he has no plans to withdraw from the race, despite growing calls for him to do so after his disastrous debate defeat. Speaking on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” on Monday, Biden called on other Democrats to challenge him at their national conventions this summer, stressing that he believes he is the best candidate to beat Trump.
Updated 5:05 p.m.
