New Dem Challenging Biden for Nomination (Video)

(DCWatchdog.com) – In a new sign that Joe Biden’s reelection prospects are increasingly dubious, a lesser-known congressman has announced his 2024 Democratic nomination candidacy, both praising the president and urging him to quit trying to remain in the White House for four more years.

In an interview with CBS Mornings last Friday, US Rep. Dean Phillips (D-MN) declared his candidacy against President Joe Biden, reiterating that during a kick-off campaign speech in Concord, New Hampshire.

Phillips, 54, is in his third House term and is often seen as a moderate force in Congress, advocating for bipartisanship, according to a report by National Review.

The Minnesota Democrat is known for his unique approach, exemplified by his travels in a 1960s-era van, dubbed the “Government Repair Truck,” and his involvement in “Common Ground” conversations with voters of varying political affiliations, as reported by the Star Tribune.

Phillips, a member of the House Problem Solvers Caucus, has collaborated with Chip Roy, a conservative lawmaker from Texas, on initiatives to support small businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic.

In a notable move last year, Phillips encouraged Democrats in Wyoming to vote for Republican Liz Cheney, who was facing a challenge from a Donald Trump-backed opponent.

“I am. I have to,” the congressman told CBS News when asked if he was running for president.

“[President Joe Biden has done a] spectacular job for our country, but it’s not about the past. This is an election about the future,” he added.

The Review points out that Phillips, who portrays himself as a moderate and a unifier, has, however, shown a pattern of aligning closely with left-wing Democratic positions.

According to a FiveThirtyEight analysis from 2021-22, Phillips supported Biden’s stance on various issues, including collective bargaining rights, firearms regulation, and foreign policy, 100% of the time.

He refuses to collaborate with Republicans he deems responsible for the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot, categorizing them as “dangerous, plain and simple.”

“Dean votes with Nancy Pelosi 99 percent of the time, so Minnesotans should take his claims that he is bipartisan with a grain of salt,” US Rep. Tom Emmer (R-MN) said of his colleague in 2021.

“I don’t think his presidential candidacy is a serious one. I think he’s probably going to get a pretty rude awakening when he sees how people respond to him,” commented Ryan Dawkins, a political science professor at Carleton College in Minnesota.

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