On Monday Scripps News spoke with Minnesota Democratic Rep. Dean Phillips about President Biden’s decision to withdraw from the 2024 presidential race.
Rep. Phillips challenged President Biden early on in the 2024 primary, he says, to highlight the difficulties that the president would face in the general election.
“I spent the better part of a year trying to call attention to the truth that the president was in no electoral shape to win this next election,” Rep. Phillips said. “I had seen the evidence of his decline. My colleagues were aware. So I privately called other governors to enter the race. I called for anybody — public calls — to enter a primary, called on the DNC to host a competitive primary to ensure that we could elevate a candidate who could win.”
“I was really trying to be a Paul Revere, not a George Washington,” he said.
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Now, Rep. Phillips says, the party is in a much better position with Vice President Kamala Harris gaining endorsements and delegates.
“And at the end of the day, the events of the last 48 hours, which I do want to celebrate the president for doing what is so rare in human history, giving up power proactively. We’re actually now in a position to beat Donald Trump. So the mission in many ways has been accomplished. And while I do believe in competition, I do believe we needed more time to do this really well. The fact of the matter: Better late than never. And I do think Vice President Harris will become the nominee. And I think we’re much better positioned to surprise in November and beat Donald Trump. That was my mission. I knew it would cost me my job in Congress, but it’s very satisfying knowing that we’re now in a position to do the unthinkable, and that is succeed.”
Watch the full interview with Rep. Phillips above.
