Democratic U.S. Rep. Dean Phillips, whose presidential bid stemmed from concerns over President Joe Biden’s ability to defeat former President Donald Trump in November, has responded to Biden’s Sunday announcement that he will not seek a second term.
Phillips, 55, who has represented Minnesota’s 3rd District since January 2019, took to X (formerly Twitter) to praise Biden and call for a competitive process for selecting the Democratic nominee.
“President Biden is an American hero and patriot whose legacy will rank among the most important in our history. I entered the primary in the spirit of Paul Revere, not George Washington, and cannot wait to get to work for the new Democratic ticket, defeat Donald Trump, and win majorities in Congress this November. Giddy up!” Phillips tweeted.
Phillips launched his presidential campaign in late 2023, but it quickly drew significant backlash from fellow Democrats. Critics argued that challenging Biden undermined party unity and risked dividing Democrats at a crucial time. Phillips’s bid ended after a poor performance on Super Tuesday, March 5.
Reflecting on the future of the Democratic ticket, Phillips emphasized the need for a competitive process in selecting the nominee.
“(Vice President) Kamala Harris is talented, experienced, and well-prepared to beat Donald Trump and serve as our President. As I said on ‘Face the Nation’ and in my editorial in the (Wall Street Journal) this morning, I agree with Barack Obama that a brief, transparent, competitive process would serve democracy, generate energy, and provide legitimacy to our ultimate nominee,” he wrote.
In another X post, Phillips suggested conducting a straw poll among Democratic delegates to identify potential candidates. He proposed inviting Harris and the top three vote-getters to a series of four televised town halls with delegates before voting at the convention.
Transparent, competitive, (and) as (Congressman) Jim Clyburn argued – a great audition for VP,” Phillips added.
Biden, 81, endorsed Harris, 59, as the party’s nominee for president against Republican Donald Trump, 78. Harris expressed her gratitude for the endorsement and stated her intention to “earn and win this nomination.”
Since ending his campaign, Phillips has remained relatively quiet. Following widespread criticism of Biden’s performance in the June 27 debate, Phillips tweeted the next day: “Speak only if it improves upon the silence. – Gandhi.”
Phillips announced late last year that he would not seek reelection to Congress.
Former state Sen. Kelly Morrison is the Democratic candidate running for Phillips’s seat, while former judge and state lawmaker Tad Jude is the Republican contender. The 3rd District includes areas such as Eden Prairie, Bloomington, Minnetonka, and Plymouth.
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