Dean Phillips plans decision on presidential run in ‘next few weeks’
Minnesota Democratic Rep. Dean Phillips put himself on the clock Tuesday to decide on whether to run for president, saying any viable candidate has to get going with the 2024 election just more than a year away.
After visiting a healthcare facility in Minnetonka, Minn., Phillips told reporters that people want more choices for the White House and his party should field an alternative to Democratic incumbent President Joe Biden.
“It’s healthy to have alternatives. I think voters are demanding it. That’s what I am trying to articulate is the numbers are clear: Americans want more choice and our duopoly, our political industrial complex is doing a very effective job at preventing that very competition,” Phillips said.
For months, Phillips has called on other contenders to step forward to take on Biden or for the president to “pass the torch.”
Phillips, a third-term member of Congress representing a suburban district, recently stepped down from a House Democratic leadership position as he became more vocal about possibly running himself for the Democratic nomination next year.
“Competition is good, friendly competition, alternatives. The country clearly wants them,” Phillips said. “I think anybody who is going to make that decision has to do so in the next few weeks because filing deadlines are forth-coming and there is still time before the primaries really heat up in the late winter, early spring of 2024.”
He said health care would be a top issue for him if he does run for the White House.
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