Another Washington Democrat calls on Biden to drop out of race

U.S. Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (D-Southwest Washington) has joined a growing list of Democratic lawmakers questioning whether President Biden should be the party's nominee over concerns about his age and potential health issues.

Why it matters: Biden has firmly resisted calls to drop out of the 2024 race despite the panic that has ensued — among donors , constituents and members of his own party — following his debate performance .

Driving the news: In a statement on Thursday, Gluesenkamp Perez said: "I doubt the President's judgment about his health, his fitness to do the job, and whether he is the one making important decisions about our country."

• "Americans deserve to feel their president is fit enough to do the job. ... The President should do what he knows is right for the country."

Rep. Adam Smith (D-Bellevue), the top Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee, said on Monday that Biden should "step aside" because it has "become clear he's not the best person to carry the Democratic message."

The other side: Biden has received pronouncements of support from dozens of House and Senate Democrats, including House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.)

• Biden's campaign conceded in an internal memo Thursday that the polling "movement" since the debate is "real," but argued it does not represent "a sea-change in the state of the race."