California Rep. Adam Schiff says Biden should bow out of presidential race against Trump

U.S. Rep. Adam Schiff of California on Wednesday called on President Joe Biden to bow out of the race against former President Donald Trump, becoming the most prominent elected Democrat to publicly urge Biden to drop out.

Schiff said while “Joe Biden has been one of the most consequential presidents in our nation’s history,” he had “serious concerns about whether the President can defeat Donald Trump in November.”

Schiff, D-Burbank, becomes the 21st member of his party to publicly call for Biden to step aside. The list includes 19 other House Democrats and one senator.

Schiff, a candidate for the U.S. Senate from California, is expected to win in November. He is a protege of Speaker emerita Nancy Pelosi, D-San Francisco.

Pelosi, whose influence is regarded as enormous both among congressional Democrats and at the White House, recently urged Biden to consider whether to continue in the 2024 contest in an interview on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe,” despite the president repeatedly insisting he intends to run.

Schiff’s full statement was shared with The Bee after first appearing in the Los Angeles Times on Wednesday:

“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.

“But our nation is at a crossroads. 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.

“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.”

Biden has more than enough committed delegates to win the nomination, so he would have to voluntarily step aside in order to release them.

“But make no mistake, whoever our party ends up nominating, or if the nomination remains with the president, I will do everything I can to help them succeed. There is only one singular goal: defeating Donald Trump. The stakes are just too high,” Schiff said.

The Democratic National Convention will be Aug. 19-22 in Chicago.

The Bee’s Nicole Nixon contributed to this story.