Rep. Dean Phillips Announces Long-Shot Presidential Bid Against President Biden

Minnesota Rep. Dean Phillips announced his bid for the presidency on Thursday, launching a long-shot Democratic primary challenge against President Joe Biden. Phillips, a three-term congressman, has criticized Biden’s age and low approval ratings, arguing that he would be a weak general election candidate. Despite facing intraparty frustration over his calls for a Biden alternative, Phillips has decided to move forward with his campaign. However, his entry into the race has caused headaches for the Democratic Party, as Biden will not file to appear on the New Hampshire Democratic primary ballot due to the state not complying with the national party’s revised nominating calendar. Instead, Democrats will launch a write-in campaign for the president. Phillips’ campaign strategy is heavily focused on the New Hampshire primary, with his campaign video emphasizing engagement with voters. He has also received advice from former Republican strategist Steve Schmidt. Although Phillips is wealthy, he may struggle to find major Democratic donors who have already pledged their support to Biden. Additionally, Phillips lacks the name recognition of other potential Democratic presidential contenders. The Democratic National Committee’s decision to elevate South Carolina in the primary calendar may also hurt Phillips in the state’s primary. Despite this, Phillips has remained adamant about the need for new leadership within the Democratic Party and has argued that Democrats need to listen to the concerns of voters. In a September CNN poll, two-thirds of Democrats stated that they wanted the party to nominate someone other than Biden. However, Biden remains the overwhelming favorite for the party’s nomination and has received unanimous support from the DNC. As of now, there are no scheduled primary debates, leaving little room for challengers to make an impact.