President Joe Biden is losing what little support he had to pursue a second term. However, this time it’s not the silent chatter or speculation among lawmakers. No, this time a Democratic lawmaker is confidently saying he won’t support Biden’s reelection bid in 2024.
Rep. Dean Phillips (D-MN) is the first lawmaker to go on record as saying he wouldn’t back Biden’s ambitions of a two-term presidency.
Despite many other lawmakers sharing Phillips’ views, other sitting Democratic members of Congress haven’t been as direct.
His comments mark a notable break from his Democratic counterparts, who’ve either publicly backed Biden’s 2024 ambitions or declined commenting on 2024 as Biden’s polling numbers continue to dip.
In an appearance on WCCO, Phillips said: “I have respect for Joe Biden. I think he has, despite some mistakes and missteps, despite his age, I think he’s a man of decency, of good principle, of compassion, of empathy, and of strength. But to answer your question directly, which I know is quite rare, no, I don’t,” the Minnesota Senator replied when asked if he supported Biden’s ambitions of a second term.
Instead Phillips said the party should look to a “new generation of leadership,” elevating younger candidates to Congress.
Phillips also emphasized that Biden led the country with “decency,” something that was needed at the time, but highlighted that “I’m part of a caucus here in Congress where our three top leaders are over 80 years old, where the president will be over 80 at the next election. And I think it’s time for a generational change. I’m not shy to say that. I do believe most of my colleagues feel the same way.”
