Oct. 27 (UPI) — Rep. Dean Phillips of Minnesota has announced he is running for president and will challenge President Joe Biden for the Democratic nomination.
Phillips, who has voiced opposition to Biden running for re-election for months, announced he was throwing his name in for presidential contention in an interview with CBS Morning.
Though the interview is to air Friday, a 21-second excerpt was published on the show’s X account, in which CBS’ Robert Costa is seen asking the 54-year-old congressman if he plans to run for president.
“I am. I have to,” Phillips said. “I think President Biden has done a spectacular job for our country but it’s not about the past. This is an election about the future.”
Phillips on Thursday also filed a statement of candidacy with the Federal Election Commission, according to copies of the filing on the federal website.
The Minnesota politician has repeatedly and publicly argued against Biden running for re-election, and in August told CNN’s Jake Tapper that he has “grave concerns” over polling that shows a majority of Democrats want an alternative candidate.
Phillips has also voiced issue with the 80-year-old president’s age and worries over polling that suggests he’ll be in a tight fight for the presidency against the Republican frontrunner, former President Donald Trump.
“I will not sit still and not be quiet in the face of numbers that are so clearly saying that we’re going to be facing an emergency next November,” he said in the interview excerpt.
The announcement comes after Phillips stepped down from his Democratic leadership positions early this month. In a statement, he said “it’s clear my convictions about 2024 are incongruent with the position of my colleagues & that was causing discomfort.”
With the announcement of his long-shot candidacy, Phillips joins author Marianne Williamson in running against Biden.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had launched his presidential bid as a Democrat but has since decided to run as an independent.