Vulnerable Dem Tester calls on Biden to drop out after giving Schumer heads up

Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., called on President Biden to exit the presidential race on Thursday night with the blessing of Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., making him the second Senate Democrat to do so. 

"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," he said in a statement to Fox News Digital. "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 told Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., about his plan ahead of time. Schumer then told him to do what he thought was best, a source with knowledge of the situation told Fox News Digital. 

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Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., has called on President Biden to drop out of the 2024 race.  (Getty Images)

The Montana senator is in one of the most competitive races in 2024 as he attempts to keep his seat in a state that has voted twice in favor of former President Trump. 

Tester's race is rated a "Toss Up" by non-partisan political handicapper the Cook Political Report. It is accompanied in the category by three other competitive races in Ohio, Nevada, and Michigan. 

He will face off against the Republican Senate candidate in Montana, former Navy SEAL Tim Sheehy, in November. 

The senator recently told Fox News Digital that his internal polling showed him "kicking his a--," but would not reveal the data. 

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Tester is in one of the most competitive races in the country. (Anna Moneymaker)

He also pushed back on the idea that his race was competitive, claiming, "My race isn't in a precarious place."

Earlier this month, Sen. Peter Welch, D-Vt., became the first Democrat in the upper chamber to call on Biden to drop out. "For the good of the country, I’m calling on President Biden to withdraw from the race," he penned in an op-ed for the Washington Post. 

Tester is the 22nd Congressional Democrat to call on Biden to step down, joining Reps. Adam Schiff from California, Earl Blumenauer from Oregon, Ed Case from Hawaii, Angie Craig from Minnesota, Lloyd Doggett from Texas, Raul Grijalva from Arizona, Jim Himes from Connecticut, Mike Levin from California, Seth Moulton from Massachusetts, Scott Peters from California, Brittany Pettersen from Colorado, Mike Quigley from Illinois, Pat Ryan from New York, Brad Schneider from Illinois, Hillary Scholten from Michigan, Mikie Sherrill from New Jersey, Adam Smith from Washington, Eric Sorensen from Illinois, and Greg Stanton from Arizona.

Senate Democrats recently held a special meeting with senior Biden campaign advisers at the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC). 

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Sen. Welch was the first Democrat senator to call on Biden to drop out of the race.  (Getty Images)

Notably, Tester did not attend the meeting. He told Fox News Digital he was meeting with aerospace and defense company Northrop Grumman instead to discuss the "Sentinel project," likely in reference to its work for the U.S. Air Force’s LGM-35A Sentinel weapon system. 

After the discussion, Democratic senators noted they still had some concerns. "Some of my concerns are allayed. Some others have been deepened," explained Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., afterward.

Biden's debate performance was widely criticized.  (Getty Images)

Tester made a statement just over a week after Biden's poor debate performance against Trump last month, saying, "President Biden has got to prove to the American people – including me – that he's up to the job for another four years."

His call on Biden to leave the race comes only 10 days after his first statement asking the president to prove himself. 

Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub

Julia Johnson is a politics writer for Fox News Digital and Fox Business, leading coverage of the U.S. Senate. She was previously a politics reporter at the Washington Examiner. 

Follow Julia's reporting on X at @JuliaaJohnson_ and send tips to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..