Ohio Sen. Sherrod Brown one of several lawmakers who have called for Joe Biden to step aside

Third-term U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown, of Ohio, was one of a dozen members of Congress who on Friday said Biden should end his campaign.

The plea came as Brown faces Republican Bernie Moreno, a Cleveland businessman, in what’s viewed as one of the most competitive Senate races of the year.

Brown is the only Democrat holding a statewide position in Ohio. His former bellwether state has twice supported Donald Trump by large margins and Trump has the state’s junior senator, JD Vance, as his running mate.

While Brown has enjoyed a long, close relationship with Biden — he was even on the shortlist to be Biden’s vice presidential pick — he has worked to distance himself this cycle amid Biden’s unpopularity. Brown has aired ads touting his support for border- and fentanyl-related legislation, highlighting one bill that Brown sponsored “and Trump signed.”

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Republished with permission of the Associated Press.