Schiff, a prominent US Democrat, calls on Biden to withdraw

Rep. Adam Schiff, the most prominent representative of the Democratic Party so far, called on U.S. President Joe Biden to abandon his candidacy for re-election on Wednesday. In a statement to the Los Angeles Times, Schiff called on the 81-year-old Biden to “pass the baton.” He has “serious doubts” that Biden can defeat Republican challenger Donald Trump.

Schiff is considered an influential member of the Democratic Party. The California native is known to the wider public for his role as the head of the impeachment proceedings against Trump in the U.S. House of Representatives. “Our country is at a crossroads,” Schiff said. “A second term as president would undermine the foundations of our democracy, and I have serious doubts about the president’s ability to defeat Donald Trump in November,” Schiff added. Meanwhile, Schiff, who is running for a Senate seat in the November election, praised Biden’s achievements.

U.S. Senate Democratic Majority Leader Chuck Schumer also allegedly suggested to Biden during a meeting on Saturday that he end his reelection campaign, ABC News reported on Wednesday, telling the 81-year-old that it would be better for the country and the Democratic Party not to run again.

When contacted by Reuters, Schumer’s office called the report “pure speculation” and said Schumer simply “conveyed his team’s views directly to President Biden on Saturday.” Schumer himself said after the meeting that he had a “pleasant conversation” with Biden at his home in Delaware. ABC reported, citing people familiar with the matter, that House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries made similar remarks to Biden about withdrawing from the presidential race.

Since his disastrous debut in his first televised duel with Trump, Biden has faced a growing debate within the Democratic Party about his mental and physical suitability as the next presidential candidate. The assassination attempt on Trump only briefly quelled the discussion.

If Biden drops out, Vice President Kamala Harris would be the logical Democratic presidential nominee. Like Schiff, she is from California and has represented the nation’s most populous state in the Senate.