Rep. Adam Smith (D-WA), the ranking member on the House Armed Services Committee, released a statement today saying President Biden should end his candidacy for a second term, though the congressman added that he intends to "back him one hundred percent and without reservation" should Biden continue as the nominee.
Biden should leave the race “as soon as possible to give the new ticket the maximum amount of time to make its case to the American people,” Smith said.
“Any candidate for the highest office in our nation has a strong burden to bear,” he said. “That candidate must be able to clearly, articulately and strongly make his or her case to the American people. It is clear that President Biden is no longer able to meet this burden.”
During an appearance on CNN today, Smith said he believed Vice President Harris would be the best replacement for Biden, noting “there were concerns” about Biden’s abilities to deliver the party’s message prior to a recent debate with former President Trump.
“It hasn’t gotten better since the debate,” Smith said.
Still, Smith said Trump and his brand of “MAGA extremism” are “an existential threat to our nation.”
To that end, if Biden chooses to remain in the race, Smith said he would support him.
“Elections are, after all, a choice,” he said. “The president would still be, by a wide margin, the best candidate in the current field. He has done an outstanding job as president and our country will always owe him an enormous debt of gratitude for the job he has done. But no candidate is owed another term in office based solely on past performance. Every new term must be earned with the clear understanding of what that candidate will be capable of doing in the term to come.”
But Smith made clear in his statement that it “would be a mistake” for Biden to continue his campaign.
“He should step aside now so that we can find a new candidate that will put us in the strongest possible position to beat Donald Trump in November,” Smith said.
Other congressional Democrats have also called on Biden to leave the race, including Reps. Jerry Nadler (D-NY), ranking member on the House Judiciary Committee, and Seth Moulton (D-MA), a member of the House Armed Services Committee and himself an unsuccessful presidential candidate.
Biden, meanwhile, released a letter to Democratic lawmakers earlier today pledging to stay in the race.
“I am firmly committed to staying in this race, to running this race to the end, and to beating Donald Trump,” the president said.
During a televised phone call today on MSNBC, Biden called on those challenging his candidacy to accompany him on the campaign trail and see for themselves.
“Come out with me. Watch me. Watch people react,” he said. “You make a judgment.”
Biden said he would not be running if he did not believe he could beat Trump for a second time.
“The bottom line here is that we’re not going anywhere,” he said. “I’m not going anywhere.”
