Sen. Joe Manchin joins calls for Biden to drop out of the presidential race

Sen. Joe Manchin, I-W.Va., on Sunday joined growing calls for President Joe Biden to drop out of the presidential race.

Manchin, who left the Democratic Party in May but continues to caucus with Democrats, said that during the first week after the president’s poor June debate performance, he initially thought Biden “needed time to evaluate and make a decision if he was going to at that time.”

“And then I thought, well, we’d hear from my colleagues who are in very difficult, challenging areas of the country, whether it be in Congress, as far as their districts, or in the states, as far as my senators, and they’re speaking out now,” he said in an interview on ABC News’ “This Week.” “And then when you see the donor class, basically, speaking up and saying that they went a different direction, if you will.”

Manchin said he believes that if Biden exits the race now, it would allow him to address a series of key issues, and his departure would give him the chance to “show the rest of the world the orderly transfer of power from the superpower of the world.”

“He will go down with a legacy unlike many people, as one of the finest and truly a [patriotic] American,” Manchin said. “So, with that, I come with a heavy heart to think the time has come for him to pass the torch to a new generation.”

Manchin called for an open process to replace Biden on the Democratic presidential ticket and suggested Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro and Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear as potential nominees.

“It’s time, it’s just time,” Manchin said.

Manchin, who had decided against launching a presidential bid against Biden, blamed “both sides” for escalating rhetoric that led to the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump at a July 13 rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.

“This should be a wake-up call for all of us,” Manchin said. “I am angry, as I know others are, that we are in this position. We must acknowledge that both sides share responsibility for where we are and where we go from here.”

Manchin, however, acknowledged Biden’s “irreparable” debate performance and criticized Democrats voicing their support for the president after the debate.

“At a time when the Democratic Party must realize they risk losing the Senate and even the House, in addition to losing the presidency, they are doing nothing to broaden the tent and appeal to more Americans,” Manchin said. “Instead, they continue to pull the party to the left. Sadly, their vocal support for President Biden in the face of his irreparable debate performance are just evidence of how much control the far left has over the current administration.”

Manchin joins four Democratic senators who have called for Biden to exit the race.

Sen. Peter Welch, D-Vt., was the first Democratic senator to call for Biden to end his re-election bid. Welch, a fixture in Vermont politics, argued that Biden should exit the race “for the good of the country” in an opinion piece published in The Washington Post this month.

Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., who is running for re-election in one of the most vulnerable Senate seats for Democrats, also called on Biden to depart the race. Tester said in a statement that while he appreciates Biden’s “commitment to public service and our country,” Biden shouldn’t seek re-election. He said that he has worked with Biden “when it has made Montana stronger, and I’ve never been afraid to stand up to him when he is wrong.”

Sens. Martin Heinrich of New Mexico and Sherrod Brown of Ohio have also pushed for Biden to exit the race. More than 30 congressional Democrats thus far have said they want a nominee to replace Biden on the Democratic presidential ticket.

However, members of the Congressional Black Caucus and BOLD PAC, the political arm of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, have continued to voice their support for Biden’s re-election campaign.

The president and his campaign have maintained that he has no intention to drop out of the race. In a statement Sunday, Mia Ehrenberg, a spokesperson for the Biden campaign, said the campaign believes that Democrats will “absolutely come together” to fight against Trump in November.

“While the majority of the Democratic caucus and the diverse base of the party continues to stand with the President and his historic record of delivering for their communities, we’re clear-eyed that the urgency and stakes of beating Donald Trump means others feel differently,” Ehrenberg said in a statement. “We all share the same goal: an America where everyone gets a fair shot and freedom and democracy are protected. Unlike Republicans, we’re a party that accepts — and even celebrates — differing opinions, but in the end, we will absolutely come together to beat Donald Trump this November.”

Jen O’Malley Dillon, Biden’s campaign chair, on Friday also maintained that the president isn’t going anywhere.

“You have heard from the president directly time and again: He is in this race to win, and he is our nominee, and he’s going to be our President for a second term,” O’Malley Dillon said during an interview on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe.”