Sen. Sherrod Brown calls on President Joe Biden to step aside from November election

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- Sen. Sherrod Brown has called on President Joe Biden to step aside from the presidential race in November weeks before he's set to be certified on the ballot.

On Friday, Brown became the fourth Democrat in the U.S. Senate to call on Biden to drop out of the race and said he would not weigh in on the process to select a new nominee.

Brown released the following statement:

"Over the last few weeks, I've heard from Ohioans on important issues, such as how to continue to grow jobs in our state, give law enforcement the resources to crack down on fentanyl, protect Social Security and Medicare from cuts, and prevent the ongoing efforts to impose a national abortion ban," Brown said. "These are the issues Ohioans care about and it is my job to keep fighting for them."

After hearing from his constituents on these issues, Brown came to the conclusion that Biden should no longer seek re-election in November.

“I agree with the many Ohioans who have reached out to me. At this critical time, our full attention must return to these important issues. I think the President should end his campaign."

The Brown campaign said he believes Biden should serve the rest of his term.

Bernie Moreno -- Brown's opponent in the November U.S. Senate race -- released a statement in response.

"If Joe Biden is unfit to run, he is unfit to serve," Moreno said. "I am formally calling on Joe Biden to resign the Presidency because his continued presence in the situation room is a national security threat. I hope Senator Brown will join me. Make no mistake, Brown was fully aware of Joe Biden's mental decline, covered it up, and used Biden as a vessel to pass the most liberal agenda in American history."

The decision from Brown comes days after Sen. JD Vance -- the other member of U.S. Senate in Ohio -- was selected by former President Donald Trump as his running mate. If Trump and Vance were to win in November, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine would pick his replacement.

The other three senators to call on Biden to step aside were Sen. Jon Tester (D-Montana) Sen. Martin Heinrich Brown (D-New Mexico), and Sen. Peter Welch (D-Vermont).