Adam Schiff wants Biden out of the race: 'Pass the torch'

California Democratic Rep. Adam Schiff on Wednesday called for President Joe Biden to abandon his reelection effort, becoming the latest, and one of the most high-ranking Democrats, to do so.

The "choice to withdraw from the campaign is President Biden’s alone," Schiff said, in a statement reviewed by the Los Angeles Times. "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."

Schiff called on Biden to "pass the torch," joining a growing number of Democratic heavyweights urging Biden to step aside in favor of a nominee better able to beat former President Donald Trump. The movement gained traction in the wake of the CNN presidential debate in which Biden often appeared lost on stage.

He did, however, offer praise for Biden's record, saying he "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."

Schiff is currently seeking election to a California Senate seat, hoping to succeed the late Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif. Interim Sen. Laphonza Butler, D, is not seeking election to a full term.