Rep. McCollum Wants Harris Instead Biden, Walz As VP Pick: Report

ST. PAUL, MN — U.S. Rep. Betty McCollum on Friday became the second congressional Democrat from Minnesota to publicly call on President Joe Biden to step aside in the race against former President Donald Trump.

McCollum said that Vice President Kamala Harris should replace Biden on the ticket and choose Gov. Tim Walz as her running mate, the Star Tribune reported.

"To give Democrats a strong, viable path to winning the White House, I am calling upon President Biden to release his delegates and empower Vice President Harris to step forward to become the Democratic nominee for president," McCollum told the newspaper.

"If she becomes our Democratic nominee, Vice President Harris will need a strong Midwestern running-mate and I encourage her and the Democratic delegates to consider a successful leader who has been a teacher, soldier, football coach, former member of Congress, and a proven winner – Minnesota's Gov. Tim Walz."

McCollum is a part of the latest wave of congressional Democrats calling for Biden to be replaced. It's not clear what effect it might have, if any, on the president's decision-making process.

Earlier this month, Craig became the first House Democrat from a battleground district to call for Biden to withdraw from the 2024 presidential race.

"Given what I saw and heard from the President during last week’s debate in Atlanta, coupled with the lack of a forceful response from the President himself following that debate, I do not believe that the President can effectively campaign and win against Donald Trump," Craig said at the time.

"This is not a decision I’ve come to lightly, but there is simply too much at stake to risk a second Donald Trump presidency. That’s why I respectfully call on President Biden to step aside as the Democratic nominee for a second term as President and allow for a new generation of leaders to step forward."