Sen. Peter Welch (D-VT) became the first Senate Democrat to publicly call on Joe Biden to drop out of the presidential election.

“For the good of the country, I’m calling on President Biden to withdraw from the race,” Welch wrote in an op-ed for The Washington Post.

My thoughts on the state of the presidential campaign.https://t.co/BEaSVhKh42

— Peter Welch (@WelchForVT) July 10, 2024

Welch wrote in The Washington Post:

I have great respect for President Biden. He saved our country from a tyrant. He is a man of uncommon decency. He cares deeply about our democracy. He has been one of the best presidents of our time.

But I, like folks across the country, am worried about November’s election. The stakes could not be higher. We cannot unsee President Biden’s disastrous debate performance. We cannot ignore or dismiss the valid questions raised since that night.

I understand why President Biden wants to run. He saved us from Donald Trump once and wants to do it again. But he needs to reassess whether he is the best candidate to do so. In my view, he is not.

Welch’s op-ed follows Sen. Michael Bennet (D-CO) saying he doesn’t think Biden can win the election.

“Donald Trump is on track, I think, to win this election, and maybe win it by a landslide, and take with him the Senate and the House,” Bennet told CNN.

First Democrat Senator Publicly Comes Out Against Joe Biden, Says Trump May Win “By A Landslide”

"We have asked President Biden to do so much for so many for so long. It has required unmatched selflessness and courage. We need him to put us first, as he has done before. I urge him to do it now," Welch wrote.

"The list of those calling for President Biden to drop out of the race keeps growing. Just this evening, Vermont Sen. Peter Welch became the first Senate Democrat to publicly say he should exit," The National Desk stated.

WATCH:

The list of those calling for President Biden to drop out of the race keeps growing. Just this evening, Vermont Sen. Peter Welch became the first Senate Democrat to publicly say he should exit. @RyanReports explains.

🔗 in bio for more#biden #2024election #democrats #politics pic.twitter.com/C8sMMpMhAS

— The National Desk (@TND) July 11, 2024

Per CNN:

The Vermont Democrat’s comments make him the 10th congressional Democrat to call on Biden to step aside, with the rest so far being his former colleagues in the House. Colorado Sen. Michael Bennet on Tuesday became the first Democratic senator to publicly say he doesn’t believe Biden is capable of winning reelection, but he stopped short of calling for Biden to withdraw.

“Donald Trump is on track, I think, to win this election, and maybe win it by a landslide, and take with him the Senate and the House,” Bennet told CNN’s Kaitlan Collins.

Other senators — Montana’s Jon Tester and Ohio’s Sherrod Brown, who are the two most vulnerable incumbents facing reelection — raised similar concerns about Biden’s ability to win in a Tuesday Senate Democratic lunch, CNN previously reported.

Welch is from a deep blue state, which he alluded to in his op-ed. “Vermont loves Joe Biden,” Welch wrote. “President Biden and Vice President Harris received a larger vote percentage here than in any other state. But regular Vermonters are worried that he can’t win this time, and they’re terrified of another Trump presidency.”