STAMFORD, Conn. — U.S. Congressman Jim Himes (CT-04), is calling for the president to preserve "his remarkable legacy in American history" by dropping out of the presidential race.
The Biden administration has transformed the United States for the better by creating job growth, passing gun safety reforms, cutting health care costs and rebuilding infrastructure, Himes said Thursday night in a post on X.
Himes, a Democrat, said it was an honor to work with Biden on these initiatives. He's now thinking ahead to how the legacy Biden has made and the work he has done can be maintained after this election.
"The 2024 election will define the future of American democracy," Himes said. He added that Biden is no longer the strongest candidate to run against former President Donald Trump.
"I hope that, as he has throughout a lifetime of public service, he will continue to put our nation first and, as he promised, make way for a new generation of leaders," Himes said.
RELATED: Key takeaways from Biden's news conference: Insistence on staying in the race and flubbed names
Himes' call for Biden to withdraw his presidential campaign came during the president's live news conference Thursday evening, which was meant to reassure a disheartened group of Democratic lawmakers, allies and persuadable voters in this year's election that Biden still has the strength and stamina to be president.
During Thursday's conference, Biden mistakenly called Vice President Kamala Harris "Vice President Trump," trying to say he picked Harris to be VP because he believed she could beat Trump.
Before the news conference, he mistakenly introduced Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as Russian President Vladimir Putin, which drew gasps from the crowd.
As Biden caught himself, he said to Zelenskyy, “President Putin? You’re going to beat President Putin.”
Biden has been insistent about staying in the race for a second presidential term after the June 27 debate against Trump, where his performance and cognition were heavily scrutinized.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Leah Myers is a digital content producer at FOX61 News. She can be reached at LMyers@fox61.com
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