Washington — Sen. Peter Welch of Vermont became the first Democratic senator on Wednesday to call for President Biden to end his reelection bid.
“We cannot unsee President Biden’s disastrous debate performance. We cannot ignore or dismiss the valid questions raised since that night,” Welch wrote in a piece published by the Washington Post. “For the good of the country, I’m calling on President Biden to withdraw from the race.”
Welch urged Mr. Biden to reassess whether he is the best candidate to beat former President Donald Trump, adding that the growing concerns about his age and ability to do the job have shifted focus away from Trump’s flaws.
“Trump is a felon. He is a pathological liar. He is a menace. And he is sure to be emboldened by his activist Supreme Court, which granted him near total immunity,” Welch wrote. “But the national conversation is focused on President Biden’s age and capacity. Only he can change it.”
Mr. Biden has remained firm that he’s staying in the race, while a number of Democrats in Congress have offered tepid support for his continued candidacy. Nearly a dozen House Democrats have called for him to step aside, but Democratic senators other than Welch have not gone as far.