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Sen. Peter Welch, a Vermont Democrat, called on President Joe Biden to drop out of the 2024 election in a Wednesday Washington Post op-ed, becoming the first Senate Democrat to publicly urge Biden to end his reelection campaign.
Welch cited Biden’s “disastrous debate performance” and the “valid questions” people have about the president’s fitness for office at 81 years old.
“I understand why President Biden wants to run. He saved us from Donald Trump once and wants to do it again,” Welch wrote. “But he needs to reassess whether he is the best candidate to do so. In my view, he is not.”
Business Insider reached out to the Biden campaign and Welch’s office for comment.
On Tuesday, Democratic Sen. Michael Bennet of Colorado stopped short of calling for Biden to withdraw from the race but said it was something that needed to be discussed.
“I just think the race is on a trajectory that is very worrisome,” Bennet told CNN, “if you care about the future of this country.”
Bennet also said he thinks Democrats are at risk of losing not just the White House but also the Senate and the House of Representatives with Biden as the nominee.
Eight House Democrats have already called on Biden to drop out.
When reached by BI Tuesday regarding Bennet’s comments, a Biden campaign spokesperson said the president was committed to beating Trump in November and that it was always going to be a close race.
“There are a lot of days between now and election day, and the hard work of earning every single vote is far from over,” the spokesperson said in a statement.
This story is breaking. Please check back for updates.
