U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich became the third Democratic member of the Senate to call on President Joe Biden to step aside from his reelection campaign for a new Democratic candidate.
Later on Friday, U.S. Rep. Gabe Vasquez, one of the Democrats in a swing district targeted by Republicans, also called on Biden to end his campaign. Meanwhile, U.S. Rep. Melanie Stansbury reiterated her support for Biden.
The Senator’s statement came a week and a half after Heinrich tentatively backed Biden’s candidacy.
Heinrich said it must be done to stop Trump from winning the election, saying that Trump becoming president again “poses an existential danger to democracy.”
“While the decision to withdraw from the campaign is President Biden’s alone, I believe it is in the best interests of our country for him to step aside,” Heinrich said. “By passing the torch, he would secure his legacy as one of our nation’s greatest leaders and allow us to unite behind a candidate who can best defeat Donald Trump and safeguard the future of our democracy.”
Heinrich is running for reelection to a third term in the Senate.
Vasquez’s statement also said that it would be best for the country if Biden stepped aside. Vasquez represents the state’s 2nd Congressional District.
“However, I believe too many of our fundamental freedoms and the wellbeing of our nation are at risk under a Trump presidency and President Biden should step aside to give Democrats the best opportunity to win this November,” Vasquez said. “With abortion rights under attack and our Democracy at stake, we must unite to defeat Donald Trump and MAGA extremists.”
Stansbury, meanwhile, backed Biden in a statement on X.
“The Biden-Harris Team have delivered for New Mexico & we will ensure they get re-elected in November!” She wrote. “This week we saw Donald Trump & JD Vance spreading their lies & Project 2025 agenda to drag us backwards. There’s only one team who can stop them: The @JoeBiden-Harris Team.”
As with his previous statement backing Biden, Heinrich praised Biden’s time as president calling him “one of the most accomplished presidents in modern history” and said “his years of service have made a lasting impact on the lives of countless Americans.”
Vasquez also praised Biden’s time in office, saying “we owe him a great debt of gratitude for his time serving our nation.”
A trickle of elected Democrats have called on Biden to withdraw his candidacy in favor of a new Democrat in recent weeks, with more reportedly expressing doubts about Biden’s viability in the election in private.
Note: This story has been updated with statements from Vasquez and Stansbury.