Veteran Rep. Jim Himes (D-Greenwich) is urging President Joe Biden to drop his reelection bid. Himes is the first Connecticut Democrat to do so.

But he might not be the last.

Hours later, Gov. Ned Lamont said "we come to the same conclusion" – without directly calling for Biden to exit the race.

Biden's campaign hoped that Thursday night's press conference could save his campaign, as a growing number of Democrats call for a new candidate.

"I think I'm the most qualified person to run for president," Biden said. "I beat him once, and I will beat him again."

But moments after the news conference ended, Himes called for Biden to drop out on X, formerly known as Twitter.

Himes told reporters Friday that it all comes down to the president's poll numbers in critical swing states.

"I've been concerned for a long time by the trajectory," he said. "This is an election that will be won or lost in five or six states. Those states are Ohio, Michigan, Pennsylvania and a few others. Those are the polls that matter."

With Donald Trump on the ballot, Himes said too much is at stake to gamble on Biden.

"I felt that this is the moment to say, 'Are we sure? Are we sure that Joe Biden is the best candidate to prosecute the case against Donald Trump?'" Himes said.

Other Connecticut Democrats may soon join Himes.

On Friday, Lamont did not directly call for Biden to quit – but the governor suggested that he shared Himes' position.

"We agree on an awful lot of stuff," Lamont said. "Maybe we try and influence the decision in different ways, but I think we come to the same conclusion."

When asked to clarify if he wants Biden to step aside, Lamont replied: "I'll leave what I said, where I said it."

Other Connecticut politicians appear to be growing more concerned, too.

"Some of my concerns are allayed; some others have been deepened," said Sen. Richard Blumenthal after meeting with Biden campaign officials on Thursday. "I need more of the kind of analytics that show the path to success."

Democrats aren't just concerned about losing the White House. They're also worried that Biden could cost them close congressional races, like Rep. Jahana Hayes' 5th District seat in northwestern Connecticut. Hayes faces a rematch with Republican George Logan, who she narrowly defeated in 2022.

The National Republican Congressional Committee is already targeting Hayes in a new ad, claiming she "covered up" Biden's cognitive decline.

"Hayes met privately with Joe Biden," the ad claims. "She witnessed Biden's mental failures up close."

Hayes' campaign did not respond to a request for comment about the NRCC ad. But Sacred Heart University political analyst Dr. Gary Rose believes they should be concerned.

"That is the district that we're all watching," Rose said. "Straight-ticket voting has been increasing over the years. And the individual at the top of the ticket – Biden, Trump – that is going to have an impact on how people vote."

The clock is ticking for Democrats to make a change. Their nominating convention is a month away. The Republican National Convention starts Monday, giving Biden a potential reprieve as the focus shifts to Trump.