Rep. Adam Schiff, Once A Top Biden Ally, Calls For Him To Drop Out

Rep. Adam Schiff publicly called on Wednesday for President Joe Biden to drop out of the presidential race, becoming the highest-profile figure in the Democratic Party to make such a move.

The California Democrat and Senate candidate cited “serious concerns” that Biden can successfully win against former President Donald Trump in November, according to a statement first obtained by the Los Angeles Times and later confirmed by HuffPost.

“Joe Biden has been one of the most consequential presidents in our nation’s history, and his lifetime of service as a Senator, a Vice President, and now as President has made our country better,” the congressman said in his statement.

“But our nation is at a crossroads. A second Trump presidency will undermine the very foundation of our democracy, and I have serious concerns about whether the President can defeat Donald Trump in November.”

During a campaign trip in Las Vegas, reporters asked Biden on Wednesday if he had any response to Schiff’s comments. The president did not stop to answer, according to the press pool.

As a loyal establishment Democrat, Schiff had been one of Biden’s strongest champions until recently. A spokesperson for the congressman declined to answer HuffPost’s question of whether Schiff believes his statement will sour his relationship with the president.

Schiff’s public support for Biden began dwindling after the president’s startlingly poor performance during his first debate against Trump. The event resulted in a wave of Democrats, mostly privately and sometimes publicly, expressing concern about whether the president should step aside andlet a younger candidate serve as the party’s nominee.

Biden has since pushed back on those calls, doubling down on his