First Democratic senator calls for Biden to drop out of the race: Peter Welch says Joe is not the candidate to beat Trump | 11 July 2024 | Vermont Sen. Peter Welch became the first Democratic senator to call for President Joe Biden to quit his reelection campaign. Welch penned an op-ed for The Washington Post that was published Wednesday evening that dubbed 81-year-old Biden "one of the best presidents of our time." But then he noted that we "cannot unsee President [sic] Biden's disastrous debate performance" nor "ignore or dismiss the valid questions raised since that night." ..."For the good of the country, I'm calling on President Biden to withdraw from the race." With Welch's admission, now a handful of Democrats from both houses in Congress have pleaded with Biden to bow out. Overall, nine Democratic House members have said it's time for Biden to go. The president has, so far, resisted.