2024 election updates: Manchin the latest to call on Biden to end reelection bid

Adding to the list of Democratic representatives calling for Biden to exit the presidential race, Rep. Eric Sorensen of Illinois released a statement following the NATO press conference Thursday.

"In 2020, Joe Biden ran for President with the purpose of putting country over party. Today, I am asking him to do that again," Sorensen said.

"I am hopeful President Biden will step aside in his campaign for President," he said.

Rep. Sorensen becomes the 17th House Democrat to call for Biden to step aside and the third to do so following the NATO press conference.

Not long after the conclusion of President Joe Biden's first solo press conference in eight months, California's House Dem Rep. Scott Peters is calling for Biden to leave the race.

After praising the president for "saving us from a second term of a Trump Presidency in 2020 and for leading with his huge heart and a steady hand in challenging times," Peters said he does not believe that Biden's record would "translate into similar success in his reelection campaign."

Peters said the Democrats were already down in the polls before the debate, and Biden's performance during the event, "raised real concern among elected leaders, supporters, and voters that the President will not be able to wage a winning campaign. This was not a blip. And while the Biden campaign claims the post-debate national polls remain relatively unchanged, polling in the swing states has worsened alarmingly.

"Today I ask President Biden to withdraw from the presidential campaign," Peters continued. "The stakes are high, and we are on a losing course. My conscience requires me to speak up and put loyalty to the country and to democracy ahead of my great affection for, and loyalty to, the President and those around him."

Following Biden's press conference, Connecticut Democratic Rep. Jim Himes released a statement calling on Biden to "step away from the presidential campaign."

Himes serves as the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee.

"The 2024 election will define the future of American democracy, and we must put forth the strongest candidate possible to confront the threat posed by Trump's MAGA authoritarianism," Himes said.

Biden ended his unscripted q and a portion of his news conference, which lasted 50 minutes, taking a question about a Truth Social post made by Trump during the press conference.

The former president mocked Biden's age and memory for a gaffe early on where he said Vice President Trump instead of Harris.

When asked how he would combat that criticism, Biden smiled and said "Listen to him," before walking off the stage.

Later, Biden's campaign posted a screenshot of Trump's post on X and with the statement "By the way: Yes, I know the difference. One’s a prosecutor, and the other’s a felon."