Concord, N.H. – Democratic Rep. Dean Phillips, a moderate third-term congressman from Minnesota, has officially announced his candidacy for the 2024 presidential race, challenging President Joe Biden. Phillips, who recently stepped down from his Democratic leadership post, made the announcement during an interview with CBS News. He believes that although President Biden has done a great job for the country, the upcoming election is about the future, and he intends to take action in the face of impending emergencies.
Phillips, 54, has been advocating for a younger Democratic alternative to run against the 80-year-old Biden for months. After other well-known Democrats declined the opportunity, Phillips decided to make a last-minute bid for the party’s presidential nomination.
However, Phillips faces long odds in his campaign to unseat Biden. The Democratic National Committee does not plan to hold primary debates in 2024 with an incumbent president on the ballot. Additionally, Phillips missed the filing deadline in Nevada and will not be eligible to receive delegates in New Hampshire if he submits the paperwork for the primary ballot. Furthermore, he may face opposition from Democrats who prioritize winning the general election over internal party conflicts.
In anticipation of Phillips’ announcement, Democrats supporting Biden’s reelection bid pointed out that Phillips has supported the president and his positions 100 percent of the time since Biden entered the White House. Phillips’ resignation from his leadership position earlier this month and the circulation of a “Dean Phillips for President” campaign bus video on social media have fueled the speculation about his presidential ambitions.
New Hampshire is currently in a dispute with the Democratic Party over the timing of its primary, with the national party having voted earlier this year to remove the state’s first-in-the-nation primary status. However, New Hampshire Secretary of State David Scanlon insists the state will go first, regardless. The Democratic National Committee emphasized that it will not allocate delegates to any candidate who appears on the ballot in New Hampshire.
Phillips, a third-term moderate with a reputation for bipartisanship, defeated a six-term incumbent Republican in 2018 in what was considered a conservative district. He co-authored the Paycheck Protection Program and has a background in business. He sits on the Ethics and Foreign Affairs committees in the House and supports aid to Israel and Ukraine.
Despite the challenges he faces, Phillips believes that a primary challenger to Biden is necessary to ensure the future of democracy and prevent Donald Trump from returning to the White House. It remains to be seen how his campaign will fare against a sitting president in the primary, as historically, presidents who face primary challengers tend to perform poorly in general elections.
