07/18/2024 --axios
Sen. Jon Tester (D-Mont.), one of the most vulnerable frontline Democrats in November, said Thursday that President Biden should drop out of the presidential race.Why it matters: Tester is just the second Senate Democrat to publicly call on Biden to step aside, as support for the president further deteriorates on Capitol Hill."While I appreciate his commitment to public service and our country, I believe President Biden should not seek re-election to another term," Tester said in a statement Thursday.Tester is facing re-election in deep-red Montana, and his race could determine control of the Senate in November.The big picture: Pressure is continuing to build for Biden to get out of the race, with Democrats skeptical that he can defeat former President Trump.Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), one of the most powerful voices in the party, told Biden in Delaware over the weekend that Senate Democrats have deep concerns about his viability in November.Schumer was told before Tester went public that this was coming, per a source familiar with the situation. Schumer told Tester to do what he thought was best.Sen. Peter Welch (D-Vt.) is the only other Senate Democrat who has publicly said that Biden should get out of the race.The intrigue: Top Democrats told Axios that it is only a matter of time before Biden bows out of the race.It could happen as soon as this weekend, the sources said.The Biden campaign pointed Axios to a statement from Principal Deputy Campaign Manager Quentin Fulks on Thursday."He is not wavering on anything. The president has made his decision ... Joe Biden has said he is running for President of the United States," Fulks said.