There have been reports, most notably from Politico, that Joe Biden may face a new challenger in the Democrat primary. According to the reports, Minnesota Rep. Dean Phillips is being “encouraged” to enter the race to challenge the incumbent president.
Phillips is described in the report as a “moderate” Democrat, even though he has a 100% rating from NARAL, an “F” rating from the NRA, and a 3% lifetime score from Heritage Action.
With numbers like that, it seems unclear as to what makes Phillips “a moderate,” however, it is clear that some are hoping he will provide a challenge to Biden, who is widely seen as vulnerable in the general election. According to the Politico report, Phillips is headed to New York City next week to meet with donors about the possibility of funding a primary challenge.
According to the reports, Phillips “is highly unlikely to mount a primary challenge unless Biden’s health worsens or his political standing drops precipitously.” Still, Phillips, who represents the suburban Third District and is part of House Democratic leadership, has not endorsed incumbent President Joe Biden’s re-election run.
The stance tracks with how Phillips, 54, has approached Biden’s future for around a year.
“Under no condition can we afford another four years of Donald Trump, and while Joe Biden was clearly the right candidate at the right time two years ago, it’s my hope that both major parties put forward new candidates of principle, civility, and integrity in 2024,” Phillips said in a statement last July.
Before Biden announced his re-election run earlier this year, Phillips noted that he wants to see competition.
Any effort to defeat Biden in a Democratic primary would be a long-shot effort sure to face major resistance from the many leaders within the party who have already stressed their support for the incumbent president.
The potential of Trump returning to power has deeply alarmed many Democrats who have rallied behind Biden in hopes of keeping that from happening. Author Marianne Williamson and anti-vaccine voice Robert F. Kennedy Jr. are Biden’s main challengers in the Democratic primary so far, but they are not seen as viable competition.