Minnesota Representative Dean Phillips has stepped into the ring to challenge President Joe Biden for the Democratic presidential nomination. Leveraging concerns over Biden’s dwindling approval scores and concerns about his age, 54-year-old Phillips, a wealthy entrepreneur and gelato business co-founder, initiated his campaign through an online video, asserting, “There are hurdles ahead… Our mission is to mend the economy and rejuvenate America.”
Despite representing a pivotal district and having served three terms as a House Democrat, Phillips faces a tall order in denting Biden’s prospects. Biden boasts substantial backing, robust resources, and has altered the party’s nomination event timeline to counter early contenders.
Phillips plans to host a campaign gathering near New Hampshire’s Statehouse in Concord, subsequently registering for its primary. However, he has missed the Nevada deadline and is up for a face-off against Biden in South Carolina, a critical state that previously paved Biden’s road to success, thanks to its significant Black electorate.
While Phillips’ move has raised eyebrows, many in the party fear that such challenges could harm their chances against the probable Republican candidate, Donald Trump. Ken Martin, Minnesota Democratic Party Chairman, voiced his concerns, “Dean and I have shared a decade-long friendship, and while I hold him in high regard, this decision of his baffles me. Betting all his political clout on a chase with unlikely success seems unwise.”
Neither Phillips nor the Biden team offered any comments.
Adding a twist, the Biden team informed the New Hampshire Democratic Party that the president won’t be on their primary ballot, discontent with the state’s refusal to relinquish its premier primary status for South Carolina’s benefit. This could lead the Democratic Party to deprive New Hampshire of its delegates, stalling the victor’s progress towards clinching the nomination. Nevertheless, some top Democrats from New Hampshire anticipate a write-in campaign favoring Biden.
Surveys indicate a growing sentiment among Democrats and Democratic-leaning voters, expressing a preference for a nominee other than the 80-year-old Biden, predominantly due to age-related apprehensions.
Earlier in August, Phillips had expressed his wish for Biden to pass on the mantle, saying on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” “Joe Biden, a commendable individual, should graciously pass the torch and solidify his exceptional legacy.”
