Rep. Adam Schiff, a outstanding Democrat and main candidate for Senate in California, urged President Joe Biden on Wednesday to “move the torch” and exit the presidential race.

“Joe Biden has been one of the consequential presidents in our nation’s historical past, and his lifetime of service as a Senator, a Vice President, and now as President has made our nation higher,” Schiff mentioned in an announcement.

“However our nation is at a crossroads,” he added. “A second Trump presidency will undermine the very basis of our democracy, and I’ve critical issues about whether or not the President can defeat Donald Trump in November.”

His assertion echoes calls from different Democrats who’ve referred to as for the president to step apart within the aftermath of his disappointing debate efficiency in June.

Schiff is an influential voice within the Democratic Get together. He’s an in depth ally of former Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who had made him Intelligence Committee chairman when she ran the Democratic Caucus. She had additionally appointed Schiff to steer the group of Home impeachment managers prosecuting the case in opposition to former President Donald Trump in his first impeachment trial, and picked Schiff to serve on the Home committee investigating Trump’s involvement within the Jan. 6 assault.

Whilst Biden has insisted he isn’t dropping out, Pelosi has left the door open to the potential of a unique nominee, saying on MSNBC that Biden must determine rapidly about his future.

Schiff argued Wednesday that it’s time for Biden to “move the torch,” saying Democrats would have a greater likelihood of beating Trump in November if he steps apart.

“Whereas the selection to withdraw from the marketing campaign is President Biden’s alone, I consider it’s time for him to move the torch,” he mentioned. “And in doing so, safe his legacy of management by permitting us to defeat Donald Trump within the upcoming election.”

Schiff vowed to get behind a possible substitute for Biden on the Democratic presidential ticket if the president had been to drop out.

Throughout an interview on NBC Information’ “Meet the Press” this month, Schiff had mentioned that Vice President Kamala Harris “very effectively may win overwhelmingly” if Biden had been to step apart and could be a “phenomenal president.”

Schiff gave the Biden marketing campaign a heads-up earlier than publicly calling on him to drop out, in line with a supply conversant in the matter.

In a defiant interview with NBC Information anchor Lester Holt on Monday, Biden mentioned he wasn’t going anyplace and that he had earned the Democratic nomination, with backing from 14 million major voters. Requested about his obvious confusion on the June debate with Trump, Biden mentioned his “psychological acuity has been fairly rattling good.”

In response to a request for remark about Schiff’s assertion, the Biden marketing campaign pointed to quite a few statements of help from Democratic lawmakers, together with from outstanding Black leaders like Rep. Jim Clyburn, D-S.C., and Congressional Black Caucus Chairman Steven Horsford, D-Nev., each of who had been touring with Biden this week in Nevada.