California’s leading Democratic congressman, Adam Schiff, on Wednesday called on President Biden to withdraw from the 2024 presidential race.
“President Trump’s re-election would undermine the foundations of our democracy, and I have serious concerns about whether the president can defeat Donald Trump in November,” he said in a statement to Fox News Digital.
Schiff was named one of the “top two” winners in California’s Senate primary, where the winner would succeed the late Sen. Dianne Feinstein.
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Schiff became the 20th Democratic senator to call on President Biden to withdraw from the 2024 presidential race. (Getty Images)
Schiff will face Republican candidate Steve Garvey, a former professional baseball player, in November in a race seen by independent political prognosticators as a “Democrat-favored” race. Cook Political ReportThis gave Schiff an advantage over his opponents.
House Democrats praised Biden’s work during his time in office, arguing that “Joe Biden is one of the most significant presidents in our nation’s history, and his lifetime of service as a senator, vice president and now president has made our country better.”
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“But our country is at a crossroads,” the California representative warned.
Schiff noted that it is the president’s choice whether Biden withdraws from the election, but added that he “believes it is time for Biden to pass the baton.”
He also suggested that if Biden followed advice to drop out of the race, it would “enable him to defeat Donald Trump in the next election and uphold his leadership tradition.”
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Biden has insisted he will continue campaigning despite the concerns. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Senatar)
“But make no mistake: Whoever our party nominates, or if the nominee remains president, I will be committed to their success,” the California Democrat declared. “There is only one goal: to defeat Donald Trump. The stakes are just too high.”
Schiff’s announcement makes him the 20th Democratic member of Congress to urge Biden to drop out of the race, and the most prominent among House Democrats.
Other lawmakers in Congress who have called on Biden to withdraw from the 2024 election are Rep. Earl Blumenauer of Oregon, Rep. Ed Case of Hawaii, Rep. Angie Craig of Minnesota, Rep. Lloyd Doggett of Texas, Rep. Raul Grijalva of Arizona, Rep. Jim Himes of Connecticut, Rep. Mike Levin of California, Rep. Seth Moulton of Massachusetts, Rep. Scott Peters of California, Rep. Brittany Pettersen of Colorado, Rep. Mike Quigley of Illinois, Rep. Pat Ryan of New York, Rep. Brad Schneider of Illinois, Rep. Hillary Scholten of Michigan, Rep. Miki Sherrill of New Jersey, Rep. Adam Smith of Washington, Rep. Eric Sorensen of Illinois, Rep. Greg Stanton of Arizona and Sen. Peter Welch (D-Vermont).
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Senator Welch was the first Democratic senator to call on Biden to drop out of the race. (Getty Images)
Schiff’s statement calling on Biden to drop out of the race came a day after it was reported he had privately told donors about the president, “If he’s the nominee, I think we’re going to lose.”
His campaign declined to comment to Fox News Digital about the report.
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Appearing on NBC News earlier this month, Schiff publicly voiced his doubts about Biden, saying, “I think his performance on the debate stage has rightly raised questions among the American people about whether he has the ability to defeat Donald Trump.”
The Biden campaign did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital for comment.
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