Special Poll
On Wednesday, Rep. Adam Schiff (Calif.) emerged as one of the most notable and senior Democrats to urge President Biden to step down from the presidential race.
Schiff, who is currently running for the California Senate, made his statement first reported by the Los Angeles Times. He praised Biden for being “one of the most consequential presidents in our nation’s history” but highlighted that “our nation is at a crossroads.”
“A second Trump presidency would undermine the very foundation of our democracy, and I have serious doubts about whether President Biden can defeat Donald Trump in November,” Schiff stated.
He further added, “While the decision to withdraw from the campaign rests solely with President Biden, I believe it’s time for him to pass the torch. In doing so, he can secure his legacy of leadership by enabling us to defeat Donald Trump in the upcoming election.”
Schiff emphasized that he would support whoever becomes the Democratic nominee, even if it remains Biden, citing the high stakes involved.
Schiff won a contested Senate Democratic primary in March, which included fellow California Reps. Katie Porter and Barbara Lee. He is widely expected to defeat Republican Steve Garvey in the fall to secure a full six-year term following Sen. Dianne Feinstein’s (D-Calif.) passing.
The congressman’s comments add to the growing concerns about Biden’s candidacy within the Democratic Party, especially following a poorly received debate performance on June 27, which raised questions about his age and mental acuity.
Despite the pressure, Biden has consistently refused to drop out, reaffirming as recently as Monday in an interview with NBC News anchor Lester Holt that he has no intention of leaving the race.
Biden stated to Holt, “Look — we knew this was going to be a close race from the moment he announced.”
So far, nearly two dozen House Democrats and one Senate Democrat have called for Biden to step down. However, it remains uncertain whether the president will heed these calls.
The Democratic National Committee (DNC) announced in a letter reported Wednesday that the virtual roll call to nominate Biden is expected to occur in August before the convention.