Minnesota Congressman Dean Phillips announced his unexpected challenge to President Joe Biden in a primary contest on Friday.
The central issue of Phillips’ challenge seems to be President Biden’s age, 80, rather than any significant policy differences.
As of the start of this year, Phillips’ voting record aligned perfectly with Biden’s positions, as per FiveThirtyEight’s analysis.
Despite this alignment, Phillips has spent several months advocating publicly for Biden to step aside and not seek re-election, expressing doubts about Biden’s ability to secure a victory against Donald Trump once again.
“I view him as a man of integrity, compassion, empathy, and strength,” Phillips stated in a July radio interview, answering a question about whether Biden should run again.
“However, to give you a straightforward answer, I don’t think he should. Our country would benefit from a fresh wave of innovative, well-prepared, and dynamic Democrats stepping forward.”
A former businessman and head of the gelato brand Talenti, Phillips has represented a suburban district of Minneapolis since 2019, having unseated a Republican in the 2018 midterm elections. He has been a part of the bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus during his time in Congress.
His recent resignation from a House leadership role as co-chair of the Democratic Policy and Communications Committee is widely interpreted as a strategic move to position himself for challenging his own party’s leader.
Phillips is planning to formally declare his presidential candidacy in New Hampshire on Friday, coinciding with the state’s primary filing deadline. However, Biden will not be on the primary ballot in New Hampshire since the state is defying the Democratic National Committee’s guidance by holding the nation’s first primary.
This situation might give Phillips, or another notable Democrat, Marianne Williamson, a chance to shine in the state, even though they are unlikely to secure any delegates due to the unsanctioned nature of the primary.
Polls indicate that a majority of Democratic voters are hesitant about Biden running in 2024, primarily due to concerns about his age.
Nonetheless, there hasn’t been a consensus on an alternative candidate. Biden’s nomination appears to be a foregone conclusion as he has garnered extensive support from elected Democrats, major donors, and influential party operatives.
