Representative Adam Schiff, who is running for one of California's Senate seats in November, is joining the small but growing chorus of Democrats calling on Biden to step out of the race.

This move by Schiff may have been planned earlier in the week, but the public outcry about Joe Biden remaining in the presidential race quieted down for about 72 hours after the assassination attempt on Donald Trump last weekend. But now, Schiff has given a statement to the Los Angeles Times in which he firmly calls for Biden to step out of the race now.

Schiff says that 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," Schiff says. "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."

It's time to "pass the torch," the congressman says, but, he adds, the "choice to withdraw from the campaign is President Biden’s alone." And, he says, if Biden remains in the race, "I will do everything I can to help them succeed."

Earlier this month, Schiff made a public statement that Biden must "win overwhelmingly" in November or else step aside — knowing full well that, given the polling, Biden was never set to win by a large margin.

The list of Democrats who have now broken with party leadership and openly called for Biden to withdraw from the race has now hit 20. Forbes has a rundown of all the names to date, which includes two other House Democrats from California: Rep. Mike Levin, who represents northern San Diego County and southern Orange County; and Rep. Scott Peters, who represents central San Diego.

Last week, celebrity George Clooney also penned an op-ed in the New York Times asking Biden to step out of the race, saying, "the one battle he cannot win is the fight against time."

Clooney says that Biden remaining in the race will mean losing the House and Senate to Republicans again, in addition to the White House. "This isn’t only my opinion; this is the opinion of every senator and Congress member and governor who I’ve spoken with in private. Every single one, irrespective of what he or she is saying publicly," Clooney writes.

Clooney also called on "top Democrats," naming Chuck Schumer, Hakeem Jeffries, and Nancy Pelosi, to forcefully tell Biden to step aside.

Pelosi has not made any bold statements about Biden's candidacy, but two weeks ago she did hedge in a television interview, suggesting that it was fair to question whether Biden's debate performance was "an episode" or whether it was a sign of "a condition."

Schiff is running to fill Dianne Feinstein's former Senate seat, currently filled by Senator Laphonza Butler, who agreed to a placeholder appointment by Governor Gavin Newsom and is not running.

And Schiff has reason to be concerned about Trump taking office again, after he led the two impeachment efforts against him. Trump has publicly said he will seek "retribution" from his enemies once he is in office again, and has repeatedly referred to Schiff as "Slimeball Adam 'Shifty' Schiff," and other nicknames.

Previously: Nancy Pelosi Joins Chorus of Democrats Expressing Cautious Concern About Biden's Candidacy

Top image: Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA) speaks with reporters on the steps of the House Of Representatives at the U.S. Capitol on June 14, 2024 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Kent Nishimura/Getty Images)