Following President Joe Biden’s problematic performance in the first U.S. presidential debate, significant Democratic Party funders have voiced serious worries about the candidate’s campaign. Biden’s only options, according to one adviser, are to “bowing out or dying.”

Leading contributors have demanded that Biden resign, putting up governors Gavin Newsom of California and Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan as possible successors in the midst of mounting anxiety over the campaign’s future.

During the debate with former President Donald Trump, Biden found it difficult to express his ideas clearly, which resulted in long and rambling responses that startled fans.

Mark Buell, a high-profile Democratic donor, raised the possibility of replacing Biden after the debate. “Do we have time to put somebody else in there?” he questioned.

An adviser to major Democratic Party donors told Politico, “Our only hope is that he bows out, we have a brokered convention, or dies.”

At least three other Democratic contenders’ strategists claimed to have received texts from contributors inquiring as to whether their candidate will step up to challenge Biden for the nomination.

“Biden needs to drop out. No question about it,” one strategist said, suggesting a ticket led by Whitmer and Maryland Governor Wes Moore.

“This is terrible. Worse than I thought was possible. Everyone I’m speaking with thinks Biden should drop out,” one Democratic donor told NBC News.

Another adviser reported that the party needed to intervene after receiving texts characterizing the discussion as a “disaster” and from at least six influential contributors.