List of top Democrats who have called on Biden to exit race

President Joe Biden’s poor debate performance on June 27 has seemingly split the Democratic Party on its view of the future. Does the 81-year-old career politician still have the best chance at beating former President Donald Trump, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee?

Several top-ranking Democrats in Congress believe that answer is no, and have called for Biden to exit the race. At the same time, some of his most staunch supporters are doubling down on his candidacy. 

RELATED: Majority of Democrats say Biden should exit race in new poll

There is no unanimity on what should be done, and time is not on the Democratic Party’s side. In a little over a month, it convenes in Chicago for the nominating convention, and Election Day is less than four months away.

RELATED: Can Joe Biden be replaced?

Which Democrats have said Biden should drop out?

New Mexico Rep. Gabe Vasquez

New Mexico Rep. Gabe Vasquez said that while Biden is "an honorable public servant who has dedicated his career to bettering the lives of all Americans," he believes there is too much at risk in the election and said he should "step aside," according to the Associated Press. 

Rep. Morgan McGarvey of Kentucky

Rep. Morgan McGarvey joined a long list of lawmakers who are asking President Biden to bow out of the 2024 presidential race. 

U.S. Rep. Jared Huffman of California

U.S. Rep. Jared Huffman of California, leads the House task force fighting the far-right Project 2025 agenda.

U.S. Rep. Mark Veasey of Texas

U.S. Rep. Mark Veasey of Texas and a member of the Congressional Black Caucus.

U.S. Rep. Chuy Garcia of Illinois

U.S. Rep. Chuy Garcia of Illinois and part of the Hispanic caucus.

U.S. Rep. Mark Pocan of Wisconsin

U.S. Rep. Mark Pocan is a leader of the progressive caucus.

Huffman, Veasley, Garcia, and Pocan released a letter on July 19 calling for Biden to drop out of the race, the Associated Press reported.

"It is now time for you to pass the torch to a new generation of Democratic leaders," they wrote. "We must defeat Donald Trump to save our democracy."

Sen. Jon Tester of Montana

Montana's Jon Tester, who is in his own close reelection fight, became the second Democratic senator to call on Biden to drop his 2024 presidential bid.

Rep. Jamie Raskin of Maryland

Jamie Raskin sent President Biden a letter last month in which he urged him to reconsider whether to continue his presidential campaign. The note compared him to a tiring baseball pitcher, FOX News reported. "There is no shame in taking a well-deserved bow to the overflowing appreciation of the crowd when your arm is tired out, and there is real danger for the team in ignoring the statistics," Raskin wrote, according to The New York Times.

Rep. Adam Schiff of California

Rep. Adam Schiff of California told the Los Angeles Times on Tuesday, July 16, that he wanted President Biden to drop his reelection bid. 

He cited "serious concerns" that Biden could defeat former President Donald Trump.

READ MORE: Rep. Adam Schiff calls on Biden to drop out of presidential race

Rep. Mike Levin of California

Mike Levin became the second San Diego-area Democrat to call for Biden to "pass the torch" on Friday, FOX News reported. "I have deep respect for President Biden’s five plus decades of public service and incredible appreciation for the work we’ve done together these last three and a half years." he said. "But I believe the time has come for President Biden to pass the torch."

Rep. Brittany Pettersen of Colorado

Brittany Pettersen, a first-term rep from Colorado, issued a statement on Friday calling on the president to "pass the torch," FOX News reported. "Joe Biden saved our country once, and I’m joining the growing number of people in my district and across the country to ask him to do it again."

Rep. Jim Himes of Connecticut

Jim Himes, the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, called on Biden to suspend his 2024 re-election campaign Thursday. "Joe Biden’s record of public service is unrivaled," Himes posted on X. "His accomplishments are immense. His legacy as a great president is secure." 

Rep. Scott Peters of California

Scott Peters, who represents the San Diego area, called Thursday for Biden to step out of the race, FOX News reports. "My conscience requires me to speak up and put loyalty to the country and to democracy ahead of my great affection for, and loyalty to, the President and those around him."

Rep. Greg Stanton of Arizona

Greg Stanton became Arizona's second congressional delegate to call for Biden to step aside Thursday. "For the sake of American democracy, and to continue to make progress on our shared priorities, I believe it is time for the President to step aside as our nominee."

Rep. Ed Case of Hawaii

Ed Case said Thursday that "the best way forward" would be for Biden to withdraw from the race, according to the Hawaii Tribune Herald. "This has nothing to do with his character and record. If it did, there would be no decision to make."

Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez of Washington

Marie Gluesenkamp Perez called on the president to end his re-election bid on Thursday. "The crisis of confidence in the president’s leadership needs to come to an end. The president should do what he knows is right for the country and put the national interest first."

Rep. Brad Schneider of Illinois

Brad Schneider, a Chicago-area representative, praised Biden for his accomplishments while in office but said the time had come for the president to "heroically pass the torch to a new generation of leadership to guide us to the future he has enabled and empowered us to pursue."

Rep. Eric Sorensen of Illinois

Eric Sorensen, who represents parts of western Illinois, called for Biden to "step aside" after his NATO press conference Thursday, FOX News reports. "In 2020, Joe Biden ran for President with the purpose of putting country over party. Today, I am asking him to do that again."

Rep. Hillary Scholten of Michigan

Rep. Hillary Scholten, who represents parts of western Michigan, called for the president to "step aside" in a post on X Thursday. "President Biden has served his country well, but for the sake of our democracy, he must pass the torch to a new candidate for the 2024 election," she wrote.

RELATED: Nancy Pelosi stops short of full Biden endorsement

Sen. Peter Welch of Vermont

Peter Welch became the first U.S. senator to call for the president to withdraw. In an opinion piece for the Washington Post published Wednesday evening, Welch wrote that "the stakes could not be higher."

Rep. Earl Blumenauer of Oregon

Rep. Earl Blumenauer, the longest-serving Democrat in Oregon’s House delegation, said Wednesday, "President Biden should not be the Democratic presidential nominee" in a statement emailed to the Associated Press.

Lt. Gov. Antonio Delgado of New York

Antonio Delgado, New York's lieutenant governor under Kathy Hochul, has called for Biden to "add to his legacy" and withdraw from the race. He wrote on X Wednesday: "I believe we should move forward with another nominee capable of re-invigorating and re-energizing Americans who are determined to protect our democracy, and who want to do so with a candidate they believe can win."

Rep. Pat Ryan of New York

Rep. Pat Ryan, who represents New York's lower Hudson Valley, called Wednesday for Biden to withdraw from the race. "For the good of our country, for my two young kids, I’m asking Joe Biden to step aside in the upcoming election and deliver on the promise to be a bridge to a new generation of leaders," he reportedly told the New York Times.

Rep. Mikie Sherrill of New Jersey

Democratic Rep. Mikie Sherrill on Tuesday publicly said Biden should not run for re-election. "I realize this is hard, but we have done hard things in pursuit of democracy since the founding of this nation," she said in a statement. "It is time to do so again."

Rep. Jerrold Nadler of New York

Rep. Jerrold Nadler of New York reportedly stated his opinion that Biden should exit the race in a private call July 7 among House committee members, according to reporting by The Associated Press. But he walked back that statement on Tuesday, according to FOX News. "At this point he is the best candidate he is the only candidate," Nadler told reporters on Tuesday.

Rep. Adam Smith of Washington

Rep. Adam Smith of Washington reportedly stated his opinion that Biden should exit the race in a private call July 7 among House committee members, according to reporting by The Associated Press.

Rep. Mark Takano of California

Rep. Mark Takano of California reportedly stated his opinion that Biden should exit the race in a private call July 7 among House committee members, according to reporting by The Associated Press.

Rep. Don Beyer of Virginia

Rep. Mark Takano of California reportedly stated his opinion that Biden should exit the race in a private call July 7 among House committee members, according to reporting by The Associated Press. Beyer later released a statement saying he supports Biden.

Rep. Jim Himes of Connecticut

Rep. Jim Himes of Connecticut reportedly stated his opinion that Biden should exit the race in a private call July 7 among House committee members, according to reporting by Politico.

Rep. Angie Craig of Minnesota

Rep. Angie Craig of Minnesota said on July 6 that after what she saw and heard in the debate with Republican rival Donald Trump, and Biden’s "lack of a forceful response" afterward, he should step aside "and allow for a new generation of leaders to step forward."

Rep. Mike Quigley of Illinois

In a July 5 interview with MSNBC, Rep. Mike Quigley called for Biden to step aside. "Mr. President, your legacy is set. We owe you the greatest debt of gratitude. The only thing that you can do now to cement that for all time and prevent utter catastrophe is to step down and let someone else do this."

Rep. Seth Moulton of Massachusetts

In a local interview with WBUR on July 4, Rep. Seth Moulton said he didn’t have confidence Biden could defeat former President Trump and that he should exit the race. "President Biden has done enormous service to our country, but now is the time for him to follow in one of our founding father, George Washington's footsteps and step aside to let new leaders rise up and run against Donald Trump," Moulton said.

Rep. Raúl Grijalva of Arizona

Speaking with The New York Times, Rep. Raúl Grijalva became the second top Democrat to call for Biden’s exit on July 3. "What he needs to do is shoulder the responsibility for keeping that seat — and part of that responsibility is to get out of this race," Grijalva said in an interview with The New York Times.

Rep. Lloyd Doggett of Texas

Texas Rep. Lloyd Doggett was the first in the party to publicly call for Biden to step down. He said in a July 2 statement that Biden should "make the painful and difficult decision to withdraw."

"My decision to make these strong reservations public is not done lightly nor does it in any way diminish my respect for all that President Biden has achieved," Doggett said. "Recognizing that, unlike Trump, President Biden’s first commitment has always been to our country, not himself, I am hopeful that he will make the painful and difficult decision to withdraw. I respectfully call on him to do so."

New Mexico Sen. Martin Heinrich 

New Mexico Sen. Martin Heinrich on July 19 called on Biden to exit the race, making him the third Senate Democrat to do so.

"By passing the torch, he would secure his legacy as one of our nation’s greatest leaders and allow us to unite behind a candidate who can best defeat Donald Trump and safeguard the future of our democracy," said Heinrich, who is up for reelection this fall, the AP reported. 

California Rep. Zoe Lofgren

California Rep. Zoe Lofgren, a senior House Democrat who is close to former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, has written a letter to President Joe Biden and asked him to step aside from his reelection campaign.

The AP reported Lofgren, who was a member of the House Jan. 6 committee that investigated the 2021 attack on the Capitol by Trump’s supporters, said, "I know, perhaps as well as anyone, how unsuitable Donald Trump is to be President."

RELATED: All the rumors about Joe Biden withdrawing from the race: What we know

What non-politicians are saying

Another big name has called for President Biden to exit the race: actor George Clooney. 

Clooney is a lifelong Democrat and has consistently hosted massive fundraisers for the political party over the years. His most recent one last month pulled in $30 million for the Biden campaign.

But Clooney shared some unexpected thoughts from the night in a lengthy opinion for the New York Times.

"It’s devastating to say it, but the Joe Biden I was with three weeks ago at the fund-raiser was not the Joe "big F-ing deal" Biden of 2010. He wasn’t even the Joe Biden of 2020. He was the same man we all witnessed at the debate," Clooney wrote. 

FULL STORY: George Clooney on Biden: ‘He is not the same man’ and he ‘won’t win’

Friday, Actor Ashley Judd added her voice. In an opinion piece for USA Today published on Friday, Judd called on Biden to "voluntarily, gracefully step aside" so that his party can support a "talented, robust Democrat" for the presidency. She described Biden during the debate as "incapable of countering Trump, while he, unchecked, gushed a firehose of galling lies."

Judd, who has been an outspoken supporter for Biden and other Democrats across the country, noted the political activism that has accompanied her multi-decade Hollywood career. Her allegations against movie mogul Harvey Weinstein helped spark the #MeToo movement.

What President Biden is saying

President Biden has conceded the debate didn’t go well for him, but has maintained he is ready to fight for a second term as president.

RELATED: Joe Biden 'declines' to step aside; wants 'drama to end'

He is publicly urging his supporters to stay unified, and said Sunday at a public appearance in Pennsylvania that he feels the most optimistic he’s ever felt about America’s future. 

On Monday, he sent a letter to Hill Democrats insisting he’s "declining" to step aside and said it’s time for the party drama "to end." 

This story was reported from Detroit. The Associated Press and FOX News contributed. 

2024 ElectionPoliticsJoe BidenInstastories