Illinois Democrat becomes 23rd to call on Biden to drop out

Biden is facing increasing calls to step down

Rep. Sean Casten, D-Ill., called on President Biden to drop out of the presidential race on Friday, becoming the 23rd Congressional Democrat to do so.

"It is with a heavy heart and much personal reflection that I am therefore calling on Joe Biden to pass the torch to a new generation," he wrote in an op-ed for the Chicago Tribune.

“To manage an exit with all the dignity and decency that has guided his half-century of public service. To cement his legacy as the President who saved our democracy in 2020 and handed it off to trusted hands in 2024 who could carry his legacy forward," he continued.

Casten has represented southwest Chicago since 2019 and his seat is considered safely Democratic.

The Illinois Democrat's call on Biden comes after a second senator urged the president to exit the race on Thursday evening. "While I appreciate his commitment to public service and our country, I believe President Biden should not seek re-election to another term," Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., said in a statement.

Biden and his campaign have pushed back on calls to drop and insisted that the president is staying in the race.