After months of hinting, Rep. Dean Phillips announced Thursday that he would challenge President Joe Biden for the Democratic nomination for president.
The Minnesota Democrat made the announcement in an interview with CBS News. Asked if he was running for president next year, Phillips said, “I am. I have to.”
“I will not sit still, I will not be quiet in the face of numbers that are so clearly saying we’re going to be facing an emergency next November,” Phillips added.
Phillips, 54, has been a staunch critic of Biden’s re-election bid, citing a want for a younger leader to replace the 80-year-old president, and has previously called on other candidates to challenge him.
The move comes as Biden faces stagnant approval ratings amid voter concerns about the economy and the president’s age, though the White House has been dismissive toward a possible Phillips presidential run in the past.
When asked by a reporter during a press briefing Tuesday if the president had a reaction to reports of Phillips preparing to enter the race, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said she would not speak to electoral politics, but appreciated the congressman’s “almost 100” percent support of Biden.
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