In a week filled with campaign stops and interviews, President Joe Biden finds himself facing mounting pressure to step aside from the 2024 race. Despite his insistence that he is the best candidate to confront Republican Donald Trump, a growing number of Democrats are calling for Biden to exit the race and pass the torch to Vice President Kamala Harris.

The latest addition to the list of nearly three dozen Democrats in Congress urging Biden's departure is Representative Mark Takano, the top Democrat on the House Veterans Affairs Committee. Takano, from California, called on Biden to "pass the torch" to Harris. Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts also voiced her support for Harris, stating that the vice president is ready to step up and unite the party to take on Trump if Biden decides to bow out.

More Democrats are expected to speak out in the coming days, and even donors have raised concerns about Biden's candidacy. An organization called "Pass the Torch" has planned a rally outside the White House to further pressure Biden to reconsider his campaign. Despite these calls, Biden has remained steadfast, insisting that he is committed to the race.

The standoff within the Democratic Party has created an increasingly untenable situation, particularly as the Democratic National Convention approaches. Instead of a unifying moment to nominate their incumbent president to confront Trump, the party finds itself at a crossroads unseen in generations.

This stark juxtaposition with the Republicans, who have embraced Trump's far-right takeover despite his legal troubles, puts the Democrats in a challenging position. While Republicans have backed Trump, Democrats lack consensus on what Biden should do and how to choose a successor. Very few lawmakers have mentioned Harris as a potential replacement, and some have even advocated for an open nominating process to bring forth a new candidate.

Democratic Senators Jon Tester of Montana and Peter Welch of Vermont have called for Biden to exit the race and favor an open nominating process. Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi also believes that an open process would better serve anyone who wants to become president. Some House Democrats have proposed a "mini-primary" that would involve Harris.

However, other Democrats argue that moving past Harris, the first female vice president who is Black and Southeast Asian, would be politically unthinkable. Furthermore, logistical challenges arise with the virtual nominating vote scheduled before the Democratic convention opens in Chicago on August 19.

Nevertheless, some prominent Democrats have explicitly endorsed Harris as a replacement. Representative Betty McCollum of Minnesota urged Biden to release his delegates and empower Harris to step forward as the Democratic nominee for President.

As calls for Biden to exit the race continue to grow, it remains uncertain whether the president can reverse course and regain the support of lawmakers and Democratic voters. Biden has yet to visit Capitol Hill to rally support, and his virtual conversations with caucuses have been met with mixed results.

While Biden does still have strong backers within the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, the Congressional Black Caucus, and the Congressional Progressive Caucus, the pressure on him to step aside is undeniably increasing.

Despite his recent isolation due to a COVID infection, Biden's team insists that he is ready to return to the campaign and counter Trump's "dark vision." As the nation heads towards the November election, the direction of the country and the Democratic Party hangs in the balance, with Biden's decision on whether to stay in the race being a crucial factor.