(The Washington Free Beacon) — A Minnesota Democratic congressman who’s one of President Joe Biden’s loudest detractors has told colleagues he plans to run against Biden in the 2024 election, according to a new report.
Rep. Dean Phillips (D., Minn.) told House colleagues that he plans to run for the Democratic presidential nomination, two sources told Politico. A third source who spoke to Phillips told Politico he seemed less resolved, replying, “We’ll see” when asked whether he’ll run.
Phillips has made recent moves that signal a presidential run, Politico reported:
“[Phillips] has taken several steps in recent weeks toward launching a presidential run, including calling New Hampshire Democratic Party Chairman Ray Buckley last week and reaching out to several potential staffers about working in New Hampshire.
Among those he’s approached are Steve Schmidt, a former Republican consultant, and Bill Fletcher, a Tennessee-based Democratic consultant, according to a person familiar with the nascent campaign. Schmidt and Fletcher did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The Messenger first reported Phillips’ outreach to Schmidt.”
The potential run comes after Phillips has for months criticized Biden as unelectable. Phillips this summer has repeatedly raised alarm over Biden’s age and poor polling, saying Biden on the ticket in 2024 could mean “a return of Donald Trump to the White House.”
“We’re at grave risk of another Trump presidency,” Phillips told the Washington Post in an interview in August, saying Biden should “pass the torch, open the stage.”
Phillips first suggested in July that he was considering a run against Biden for the nomination.
He told the New York Times at the time that he has “been overwhelmed with outreach and encouragement” and was going to make a decision.
Phillips pointed to Biden’s age, the highest of any president in history, as a concern.
“God forbid the president has a health episode or something happens in the middle of a primary,” Phillips said.
This article was originally published at The Washington Free Beacon and reprinted here with permission.
