A prominent liberal congressman came out recently to say that Democrats need another major option other than President Joe Biden in the upcoming 2024 presidential election.
Democratic Representative Dean Phillips of Minnesota made those comments while appearing on the “Face the Nation” program on CBS News on Sunday. Phillips’ comments are noteworthy because rumors have been swirling recently that he may be thinking about launching a challenging bid to Biden in the Democratic primary.
During the CBS News interview, though, Phillips said he hasn’t decided yet whether a run for president is in the cards for him. He said:
“Democrats are telling me that they want, not a coronation, but they want a competition. The New York Times poll from this week shows 55% of Democratic voters want some alternatives to the current people in the primary. 83% of those under 30. Democrats under 30 want alternatives, and about 76% of independents.”
He added that liberals really need to run an alternative to Biden on the ballot during the general election in 2024, otherwise, the consequences for the party and the country “are going to be disastrous.”
Phillips said:
“So, my call is to those who are well-positioned, well-prepared, have good character and competency, they know who they are, to jump in, because Democrats and the country need competition. … I do not believe I’m well-positioned to run for it right now. People who are should jump in because we need to meet the moment. The moment is now. That is what the country is asking.”
Despite the fact that he is calling for someone to step up and challenge Biden in the Democratic primary, Phillips still said he believes that the president could take down former President Donald Trump – who right now has a huge lead in GOP primary polls – in what looks to be a rematch of the 2020 presidential election.
That said, he added that he believes Biden has to “go through a process by the way before it’s too late.”
The most noteworthy Democratic challenger to Biden right now is Robert F. Kennedy Jr. However, Phillips said that he didn’t believe RFK Jr. was really a Democrat, as many people have surmised based on a lot of his viewpoints and conspiracy theories.
He also said he has concerns over the possibility of Cornell West deciding to run as a candidate for the Green Party, and what that could mean for any Democrat’s chances in the 2024 presidential election against a Republican – no matter who it is.
As Phillips said:
“Anybody who wants to turn the page and go to the future in this country should be worried about Cornell West’s candidacy. Any third-party entrance that would take votes from whoever is going to take on the likely nominee from the GOP, and that’s probably Donald Trump.
“So, I would ask Mr. West, I would ask others who are contemplating third-party runs, to please think about your legacy, think about the future, and consolidate around entering a Democratic primary because that’s why we have primaries.”
