Sen. Joe Manchin is the latest to call for President Joe Biden, 81, to end his reelection bid.
The former Democrat senator from West Virginia – now an independent – joins 35 Democratic members of Congress who publicly called on Trump to step aside following a disastrous debate performance last month that started a series of fumbles.
‘I came to the decision with a heavy heart that I think it’s time to pass the torch to a new generation,’ Manchin told CNN’s State of the Union.
He repeated the sentiment on a separate interview with ABC This Week, saying simply: ‘It’s time.’
Sen. Joe Manchin, a Democrat-turned-independent, is the latest on the left to call for President Joe Biden to step out of the 2024 presidential election
Manchin told ABC host Martha Raddatz he’s concerned Biden can’t ‘finish this job that he started and finish the way he wanted to lead.’
‘I’m concerned about the president’s health and well-being, I really am,’ he added.
The calls for Biden to end his bid only heightened after he was diagnosed with COVID-19 last week and was pulled from the campaign trail during a swing in Nevada during the Republican National Convention.
The West Virginia senator, once floated as a potential split-party ticket for 2024, urged an ‘open process’ for replacing Biden and said he’s ‘partial to governors.’
Manchin’s comments on Sunday follows similar calls two of the Senate’s most vulnerable Democrats Sens. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) and Jon Tester (D-Mont.).
Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) is standing by Biden and campaigning for him in North Carolina this weekend. He dismissed Manchin and other colleagues’ concerns.
‘I have tremendous respect for Sen. Manchin, but you heard him say he’s a fiscal conservative… and he wants a more moderate ticket,’ Khanna told ABC This Week.
Calls have increased for Biden to step aside after his disastrous debate performance was followed by weeks of fumbles – and now a COVID-19 diagnosis has taken him off the campaign trail
But even some top Democrats in Congress considered to be Biden’s allies and defenders are ready for him to drop out of the 2024 race.
Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) publicly soured on Biden amid concerns over his fitness for office.
‘While the choice to withdraw from the campaign is President Biden’s alone, I believe it is time for him to pass the torch,’ the congressman said in a statement on Wednesday.
‘And in doing so, secure his legacy of leadership by allowing us to defeat Donald Trump in the upcoming election,’ Schiff added.