Minnesota Rep. Dean Phillips, a 54-year-old moderate Democrat, officially announced his intention to run against President Joe Biden today in New Hampshire. This comes after months of publicly stating it was time to "turn the page" and repeatedly addressing concerns over the president's age and potential health problems.
"I am running for the Democratic nomination for President of the United States because, my friends, it is time for a change," said the long-shot, third-term Congressman. "And I am ready to lead our great nation to a secure and more prosperous future."
"I do so," he continued, "not in opposition to President Biden, who has my affection and my gratitude; rather with two core convictions: that I am the Democratic candidate who can win, who can win the 2024 election. And second, it is time for the torch to be passed to a new generation of American leaders — right here, all around the country, and all around the world." (See video below, posted by The Recount.)
From The New York Times:
In an interview with CBS News that aired Thursday evening, Mr. Phillips argued that finding an alternative to Mr. Biden was essential because of polling showing that the president is at risk of losing to former President Donald J. Trump.
"I will not sit still and not be quiet in the face of numbers that are so clearly saying that we're going to be facing an emergency next November," he said. Late Thursday, he posted his campaign announcement on X, the site formerly known as Twitter, saying, "It's time to put our country back together again."
The Democratic establishment and major donors have already lined up behind Mr. Biden, who raised $71.3 million with the Democratic National Committee and his joint fund-raising committee during the three-month reporting period that ended Sept. 30.
Mr. Phillips will also need to work fast to get his name on the ballot in several early-voting states. Already, he has missed the deadline to appear on the ballot in Nevada, the second nominating state on a new presidential primary calendar approved by the national committee this year.
Mr. Phillips, 54, has for months stressed his belief that Mr. Biden, 80, should face a serious primary challenge, citing the president's age and low approval ratings as evidence that Democrats are eager for a new generation of candidates. (Several Republican candidates have made similar arguments in their bids against Mr. Trump, who is 77.)
Two other long-shot Democratic candidates challenging Biden are self-help author Marianne Williamson and "The Young Turks" talk show host Cenk Uygur.
