Senior House Democrat Adam Smith becomes latest to call on Biden to drop from race

Democratic Washington Rep. Adam Smith on Monday became the most senior House Democrat to call for President Joe Biden to stop seeking reelection.

Nine elected Democrats have called on the president to drop his bid for the Democratic nomination for president so far, including Smith, after Biden gave a dismal performance in the first presidential debate.

Smith, the ranking member of the House Armed Services committee, accused the president of not "seriously" addressing the concerns that his debate performance has raised.

"The president’s performance in the debate was alarming to watch and the American people have made it clear they no longer see him as a credible candidate to serve four more years as president,” Smith said in a statement, Politico reported.

Smith said Biden should drop his bid "as soon as possible" but admitted he would still support him as the nominee if he chose to remain in the race.

Biden and his campaign have maintained that the president will not drop out, and claimed Biden has the best chance of beating former President Donald Trump in November.

“I want you to know that despite all the speculation in the press and elsewhere, I am firmly committed to staying in this race, to running this race to the end, and to beating Donald Trump,” Biden wrote in a letter to Congress on Monday.

Misty Severi is an evening news reporter for Just the News. You can follow her on X for more coverage.