Rep. Dean Phillips (D-Minn.) announced his decision to challenge President Joe Biden for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2024.
What Happened: Phillips in an interview with CBS News, said he intends to launch his campaign on Friday in New Hampshire, where he is set to file for candidacy on the state’s primary ballot.
Phillips said that while he admires President Biden, he believes it’s time for a new generation of Democrats to lead the party. “I think President Biden has done a spectacular job for our country,” Phillips said.
“But it’s not about the past. This is an election about the future,” he added.
Phillips is particularly concerned about the potential of former President Donald Trump returning as the Republican presidential nominee and defeating Biden in the 2024 elections.
“I will not sit still and not be quiet in the face of numbers that are so clearly saying that we’re going to be facing an emergency next November,” Phillips said, adding that a possible Trump return would be a crisis moment for American democracy.
Why It Matters: Despite acknowledging that many Democrats are still backing Biden, Phillips believes some Democratic voters are in search of an alternative that offers a generational contrast and a centrist message.
Phillips has also been urging other Democrats to enter the race to challenge Biden, hoping that increased competition will strengthen the party’s nominee.
This came days after Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said he would run for president as an independent after dropping his Democratic primary bid. “The Democrats are frightened that I’m going to spoil the election for President Biden,” RFK had said, adding that he wants to “rewrite the assumptions and change the habits of American politics.”
On Friday, Phillips is scheduled to begin a bus tour in New Hampshire, a day after having the interview with Costa at his home in rural Middleburg, Virginia.
Photo by Gage Skidmore on Wikimedia Commons
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