Montana Democratic U.S. Senator Jon Tester is calling on President Joe Biden to drop out of the presidential race.
Tester said in a statement Thursday evening that he believes Biden “should not seek re-election to another term,” making him the second Senate Democrat to make the call publicly.
Tester said he’s worked with Biden when it “made Montana stronger,” and isn’t afraid to stand up to him when he’s wrong.
— Senator Jon Tester (@SenatorTester) July 19, 2024
A growing number of other top Democrats and their funders have asked the president to step aside after his debate performance against former President Donald Trump.
Tester is in a tight re-election race himself, and his support for Biden has been the focus of GOP attacks against him.
“Tell Jon Tester, stop standing with Joe Biden and start fighting for Montana,” a recent ad from the Republican National Senatorial Committee said.
Republican U.S. Senate candidate and former Navy Seal Tim Sheehy said Montana deserves better and called on Tester to say who he supports to take Biden’s place on the ticket.
Tester’s office says he supports an open nomination process to replace Biden.
Trump won Montana by 16 points in 2020, and Republicans have swept recent elections. Tester is seeking a fourth term as Montana’s lone statewide Democrat currently in office.
