Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), who is heavily favored to win California’s Senate race in November, called on President Biden on Wednesday to drop out of the presidential contest, becoming one of the highest-profile members of his party to urge Biden to abandon his bid.
In a statement, Schiff called Biden “one of the most consequential presidents in our nation’s history” but questioned his ability to defeat former president Donald Trump and said that a “second Trump presidency will undermine the very foundation of our democracy.”
“While the choice to withdraw from the campaign is President Biden’s alone, I believe it is time for him to pass the torch,” Schiff said.
Schiff joins 22 other congressional Democrats in calling for Biden’s exit, according to a Washington Post tally. He is the first to do so publicly since a shooter attempted to assassinate Trump at a campaign rally and since the Republican National Convention began in Milwaukee.
Schiff is a close ally of former House speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), who has held the door open for Biden to step aside. He is a former House Intelligence Committee chairman and led the first House effort to impeach Trump.
In his statement, Schiff vowed to support whoever the nominee is, even if that ends up remaining Biden.
“There is only one singular goal: defeating Donald Trump. The stakes are just too high,” Schiff said.