Democratic Rep. Adam Schiff of California urged President Biden to drop his reelection bid on Wednesday, making him the highest-profile Democrat to call for the president to step down.
Several Democratic lawmakers have recently joined in calling for the president to step aside after a poor debate performance last month, citing concerns about Mr. Biden’s ability to serve another term and his chances of defeating former President Donald Trump in November.
Schiff, who is running for Senate in California, stated in a release that while “the decision to withdraw from the campaign is President Biden’s to make,” he believes it is time for the president to “pass the torch.” Schiff suggested that doing so would “secure his legacy of leadership by enabling us to defeat Donald Trump in the upcoming election.”
The California Democrat gained national attention during the first impeachment trial of Trump and for his work on the House committee investigating the Capitol attack on January 6, 2021. He joins a growing number of party lawmakers calling for the president to step aside, many of whom are from crucial districts.
Schiff, a protégé of former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, is expected to win easily in heavily Democratic California in November.
While acknowledging Mr. Biden as “one of the most significant presidents in our nation’s history,” Schiff still called for new leadership in his statement, expressing concern about the threat of a second Trump presidency.
“A second Trump presidency would undermine the very foundations of our democracy, and I have serious doubts about the President’s ability to defeat Donald Trump in November,” Schiff remarked.
Despite his concerns, Schiff emphasized his support for whoever the party nominates at the upcoming convention, pledging to assist them in any way possible to succeed.
“The primary goal is defeating Donald Trump,” Schiff stated. “The stakes are extremely high.”
The shift of Democratic defectors from Mr. Biden slowed in recent days following the attempted assassination of Trump, but uneasiness within the party remained palpable, leading to a call to postpone an early virtual roll call vote before the Democratic National Convention next month.
Congressional Democrats began circulating a letter urging the DNC to postpone the vote scheduled for as early as Sunday, seen as a way to limit debate about the future of the ticket.
The DNC’s rules committee ultimately decided that the virtual roll call vote would take place in August, according to a letter sent to committee members, with House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer reportedly advocating for the delay.