A NEW CANDIDATE HAS ENTERED THE 2024 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION RACE – AND IS CHALLENGING PRESIDENT BIDEN. CONGRESSMAN DEAN PHILLIPS – A DEMOCRAT FROM MINNESOTA – ANNOUNCED HIS WHITE HOUSE BID IN AN INTERVIEW WITH CBS ON THURSDAY.
PHILLIPS HAS BEEN A LOUD CRITIC OF BIDEN’S RE-ELECTION EFFORTS – CALLING FOR OTHER – YOUNGER** – DEMOCRATS TO STEP UP TO RUN AGAINST AND RE-PLACE THE 80-YEAR-OLD PRESIDENT.
IN A MEET THE PRESS INTERVIEW IN AUGUST PHILLIPS SAID WHILE HE ADORES BIDEN — HIS CALL TO ACTION IS TO QUOTE: “ASK THE PRESIDENT TO PASS THE TORCH.”
EARLIER THIS MONTH PHILLIPS STEPPED DOWN FROM HIS LEADERSHIP ROLE AS CO-CHAIR OF THE DEMOCRATIC POLICY AND COMMUNICATIONS CAUCUS AFTER UNSUCCESSFULLY CALLING ON YOUNGER DEMOCRATS TO CHALLENGE BIDEN FOR THE DEMOCRATIC NOMINATION.
ACCORDING TO A RECENT CNN POLL – TWO THIRDS OF DEMOCRATS AGREE WITH PHILLIPS — WANTING THE PARTY TO CHOOSE ANOTHER CANDIDATE BESIDES THE PRESIDENT — WITH NEARLY HALF CITING BIDEN’S AGE AS THE MAIN CONCERN.
THOUGH THE WHITE HOUSE HAS NOT COMMENTED ON THE ANNOUNCEMENT — ON TUESDAY THE WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY RESPONDED TO REPORTS OF PHILLIPS JOINING THE RACE — SAYING THE ADMINISTRATION APPRECIATES THE CONGRESSMAN’S “ALMOST 100 PERCENT SUPPORT OF THE PRESIDENT.”