Facing a tough re-election bid, Democratic Senator Jon Tester calls on Biden to withdraw

Sen. Jon Tester of Montana became the second Democratic senator to call on President Joe Biden to withdraw from the presidential race on Thursday.

“While I appreciate his commitment to public service and our country, I believe President Biden should not seek re-election for another term,” Tester said in a statement.

Tester is running for re-election in one of the most vulnerable Senate seats for Democrats this fall.

Tester said he “worked with President Biden when it made Montana stronger and was never afraid to stand up to him when he was wrong.”

Tester is only the second Democratic senator to call on Biden to withdraw from the race, after Peter Welch of Vermont. Including Tester, 21 Democratic congressmen have already called on Biden to drop out of the race.

Tester briefed Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., on his plans before making a public statement, according to a source with knowledge of the situation. Schumer told Tester to do whatever he thought was best.

The Montana senator’s comments came after he said in a July 8 statement that Biden “has to prove to the American people — including me — that he’s up to the job for four more years.”

Representing a red state, Tester has criticized the president before, including over the timing of Biden’s border policies and the president’s Environmental Protection Agency regulations.