Montana Sen. Jon Tester, a Democrat running for reelection in November in a deeply red state, became the second U.S. Senator to publicly call on President Joe Biden to exit the presidential race.

What You Need To Know

  • Montana Sen. Jon Tester on Thursday became the second U.S. Senator to publicly call on President Joe Biden to exit the presidential race

  • Tester is one of the most vulnerable Democrats up for reelection in the country, running against a well-funded Republican challenger in a state that former President Donald Trump won by more than 16% over Biden in 2020

  • In recent days, a number of prominent Democrats have called on Biden to step aside, including California Rep. Adam Schiff, a prominent figure in the House himself a U.S. Senate candidate

  • Behind the scenes, Democratic leaders like former President Barack Obama, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries have expressed concerns about Biden's candidacy and the impact it could have on downballot Democrats

Tester, a dirt farmer and the only Democrat to hold statewide office in Montana, said in a statement Thursday to the Daily Montanan that he supports an open process to pick a new Democratic presidential nominee.

“Montanans have put their trust in me to do what is right, and it is a responsibility I take seriously. I have worked with President Biden when it has made Montana stronger, and I’ve never been afraid to stand up to him when he is wrong,” Tester told the outlet, sharing the article on social media. “And while I appreciate his commitment to public service and our country, I believe President Biden should not seek re-election to another term.”

Tester joins Vermont Sen. Peter Welch and at least 20 House Democrats in calling Biden to step down from the top of the ticket.

In recent days, a number of prominent Democrats have called on Biden to step aside, including California Rep. Adam Schiff, a prominent figure in the House himself a U.S. Senate candidate.

“Joe Biden has been one of the most consequential presidents in our nation's history, and his lifetime of service as a Senator, a Vice President, and now as President has made our country better. But our nation is at a crossroads. A second Trump presidency will undermine the very foundation of our democracy, and I have serious concerns about whether the President can defeat Donald Trump in November," Schiff said Wednesday in a statement shared with Spectrum News

“While the choice to withdraw from the campaign is President Biden’s alone, I believe it is time for him to pass the torch," he continued. "And in doing so, secure his legacy of leadership by allowing us to defeat Donald Trump in the upcoming election."

Earlier Thursday, Spectrum News obtained a letter that Maryland Rep. Jamie Raskin, another key member of the House Democratic conference, sent to Biden earlier this month urging him to huddle with his fellow Democrats about stepping down from the top of the ticket.

Making a baseball metaphor, Raskin implored Biden: “There is no shame in taking a well-deserved bow to the overflowing appreciation of the crowd when your arm is tired out, and there is real danger for the team in ignoring the statistics." 

“Your situation is tricky because you are both our star pitcher and our Manager. But in democracy, as you have shown us more than any prior president, you are not a Manager acting all alone; you are the co-Manager along with our great team and our great people,” he continued. “Caucus with the team, Mr. President. Hear them out. You will make the right decision.”

Another House Democrat, California Rep. Jim Costa, also called on Biden to step aside on Thursday.

Behind the scenes, Democratic leaders like former President Barack Obama, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries have expressed concerns about Biden's candidacy and the impact it could have on downballot Democrats.

First elected to the U.S. Senate in 2016, Tester is one of the most vulnerable Democrats up for reelection in the country, running against a well-funded Republican challenger in a state that former President Donald Trump won by more than 16% over Biden in 2020. While polling shows he's one of the most popular senators in the country, Tester's seat is a top target of Montana's other senator, Steve Daines, who is chairing the Senate Republicans' campaign arm. 

Tester is running against Tim Sheehy, a former Navy SEAL, aerial firefighter and business owner. At the Republican National Convention on Tuesday, Sheehy introduced himself, emphasizing the pronunciation of his name, "Shee-hee."

"Those are also my pronouns," he said, to laughter from the crowd, poking fun at those who introduce themselves using preferred pronouns. "I've been a he-she for 38 years, and I can promise you, going to elementary school in the '80s was not fun."

"I fight fires for a living," Sheehy, an ex-Navy SEAL and aerial firefighter, told the crowd, charging: "The world is on fire under Joe Biden."

The race is one of the closest watched of the 2024 election cycle -- and one of its most expensive. Tester has raised nearly $43 million to date and has $10 million in cash on hand, far outraising Sheehy, who has posted large sums of his own. The Republican challenger has raised nearly $14 million and has about $3 million on hand.

Tester is one of two Democrats running for reelection in states Trump won, along with Ohio Sen. Sherrod Brown.