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U.S. Rep. Dean Phillips (D-MN) announced that he will not seek re-election to congress in order to focus on defeating President Biden in the 2024 Democrat presidential primary.
Phillips, who has represented Minnesota’s Third Congressional District since 2019, announced his decision in a press release on Friday. The Minnesota Democrat stated that he entered politics to bring an “optimistic approach to American politics, though he is now acknowledging that it is time to “pass the torch.”
“America has endured for a remarkable 246 years as the longest-lasting democratic republic in the world, but we are facing a crisis of cooperation, common sense, and truth. Civility matters, respect matters, listening matters, and effective governance matters,” Phillips wrote. “No party has a monopoly on solutions, and we must stop fighting one another and begin fighting for one another – before it is too late.”
Phillips has for months called on President Biden to “pass the torch” himself, pointing to declining poll numbers and concerns over the president’s age. After Democrat governors declined Phillips’ calls to enter the race, he decided to take it upon himself and filed for the Democrat primary in New Hampshire last month.
Phillips is hoping to capitalize on a unique opportunity in New Hampshire due to a disagreement between the Biden Campaign and the Democratic National Committee on one side, and the New Hampshire Democratic Party on the other. The Biden campaign successfully lobbied the DNC to alter the primary process to begin with South Carolina, citing increased “racial diversity” in the state.
New Hampshire Democrats opted not to alter the process, which led to the president being left off the ballot. Biden surrogates have nonetheless expressed confidence in their ability to win the primary and have launched a write-in campaign on his behalf.
Phillips has held several campaign events in the Granite State since launching his longshot presidential bid and will continue to do so, according to the press release.
