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Rep. Adam Schiff of California on Wednesday became the most notable Democrat to publicly call on President Joe Biden to drop out of the 2024 race.
"[O]ur nation is at a crossroads," Schiff said in a statement first reported by The Los Angeles Times. "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."
Schiff, who rose to fame leading then-President Donald Trump's first impeachment, is widely favored to win his US Senate race this November and hold onto the seat once held by Sen. Dianne Feinstein. He is also a close ally of former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
Twenty Democratic members of Congress have now publicly called on Biden to drop out. More lawmakers have expressed concern that Trump will win in November. Trump is currently in the best position in national polling of any Republican presidential nominee in over two decades. Some Democrats are fearful that the former president could even be on the path to a blowout win, which could harm Democrats down the ballot.
Like other Democrats, Schiff praised Biden's leadership and said the final decision ultimately rested with him. The California Democrat also made clear that his party should be focused on one goal: beating Trump.
"Joe Biden has been one of the most consequential presidents in our nation's history, and his lifetime of service as a Senator, a Vice President, and now as President has made our country better," Schiff said.
Schiff's statement underlines that the push to get Biden to step aside remains ongoing. Democrats remained mostly silent in the wake of the assassination attempt on Trump. The party has also been trying to project a unified front during the Republican National Convention.
Pelosi has reportedly continued to hear out House Democrats who are concerned about Biden's standing. She raised eyebrows when she suggested during an interview that the president hadn't made a final decision. At that point, Biden had repeatedly declared that he was staying in the race.
"It's up to the president to decide if he is going to run," Pelosi said on July 10 on MSNBC's "Morning Joe." "We're all encouraging him to make that decision. Because time is running short."
Schiff is very close to his fellow Californian. Pelosi endorsed Schiff over other House Democrats to replace Feinstein. Her support, as The San Francisco Chronicle pointed out, has helped Schiff deflect criticism about replacing an iconic woman when other women were also on the primary ballot. Pelosi also made sure that it was Schiff who helped lead Trump's first impeachment even though such powerful has historically gone to the House Judiciary Committee.
Amid the continued dissension, the Democratic National Committee indicated that it would proceed with a controversial plan to crown Biden the nominee before the party's convention kicks off in Chicago next month.
A representative for Biden's campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
