Politico reported on Friday that Democrats are pursuing Minnesota Democratic Rep. Dean Phillips as a potential challenger to President Joe Biden in the 2024 primary.
According to the report, as concerns over Biden’s age, approval ratings, and the impact of third-party candidates continue to grow, Democrats are searching for a new candidate.
Next week, Phillips will meet with Democratic benefactors in New York City to discuss a potential bid, which would only occur if the president’s health or standing with the electorate declined significantly.
His campaign website cites “Women’s health and reproductive freedom,” “Gun violence prevention,” “Immigration reform,” “Diversity, equity, and inclusion,” and “Climate action” among his priorities, despite Politico’s description of him as a “moderate.”
“Nobody wants to be the one to do something that would undermine the chances of a Democratic victory in 2024,” Phillips previously told Politico. “Yet in quiet rooms the conversation is just the opposite — we could be at a higher risk if this path is cleared.”
In addition to his support for a Democratic primary, Politico reports that donors are considering Phillips for a potential White House candidacy due to his criticism of the centrist organization No Labels for proposing a third-party “unity ticket” in 2024.
Democrats are concerned that such a candidate would steal more votes from Biden than the Republican nominee, which could result in a potential second term for former President Donald Trump, the GOP frontrunner.
“If No Labels runs a Joe Manchin against Donald Trump and Joe Biden, I think it will be a historic disaster,” Phillips told The New York Times in May. “And I speak for just about every moderate Democrat and frankly most of my moderate Republican friends.”
The current approval rating for Vice President Joe Biden is 38%, while 52% disapprove of the president, according to a Big Village CARAVAN survey conducted Monday through Wednesday.
According to Ballotpedia, Phillips was first elected to the House in 2018, defeating his Republican opponent 55.6 percent to 44.2 percent, and he won reelection by nearly 20 points in 2022.
Before entering politics, he worked as an entrepreneur.
More on this story via The Western Journal:
The RealClearPolitics average for the 2024 national Democratic primary, based on polls conducted between July 5 and July 20, indicates that Biden has 63.2 percent support, followed by Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Marianne Williamson with 13.7 percent and 5.3 percent, respectively.
Neither Phillips nor Biden immediately responded to the Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comment. CONTINUE READING…