Rep. Adam Schiff has become the most prominent elected Democrat to publicly urge President Joe Biden to withdraw from the race. Schiff, who is running for the US Senate in California, is the first Democrat to make this call since the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump over the weekend. His urging is significant as he is close to former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and is not in a swing district.
“While the choice to withdraw from the campaign is President Biden’s alone, I believe it is time for him to pass the torch. And in doing so, secure his legacy of leadership by allowing us to defeat Donald Trump in the upcoming election,” Schiff stated.
Schiff, who served as an impeachment manager during one of Trump’s impeachments and has been a staunch critic of the former president, praised Biden’s legacy but expressed concerns about the current direction of the country. “A second Trump presidency will undermine the very foundation of our democracy, and I have serious concerns about whether the President can defeat Donald Trump in November,” he added.
Schiff’s previous statements following Biden’s poor performance in a recent CNN debate hinted that Biden should consider his campaign’s future carefully.
In response, a Biden campaign official referenced a letter from July 8 where Biden confirmed his intention to stay in the race and highlighted his support from various Democratic lawmakers, including Congressional Hispanic Caucus Chair Nanette Barragan.
The Democratic Party is facing uncertainty about the path forward amid fears that Biden may not be able to defeat Trump and could negatively impact other Democratic candidates. CNN reported that the Democratic National Committee plans to virtually nominate Biden ahead of next month’s Democratic convention in Chicago, despite growing calls from some party members to reconsider this strategy.
This is a developing story and will be updated with new information.