Democrat Rep. Dean Phillips announced this weekend that he will be leaving his House leadership position after voicing concerns over Joe Biden’s reelection bid.
QUICK FACTS:
- U.S. Representative Dean Phillips (D-MN) announced over the weekend that he’s stepping down from his House leadership position after he raised concerns about his party’s support for President Joe Biden’s reelection in 2024.
- Phillips said Sunday that his “convictions relative to the 2024 presidential race are incongruent with the majority of my caucus, and I felt it appropriate to step aside from elected leadership.”
- The Minnesota Democrat said that while he is pleased with House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, he does not believe Biden shouldn’t be running next year.
- “I celebrate Leader (Hakeem) Jeffries for his remarkable and principled leadership, and extend gratitude to my outstanding friends and colleagues for having created space and place for my perspectives,” Philips stated.
- According to a spokesperson at Phillips’ office, the Democrat will remain in his congressional seat and will continue to be a member of the Democratic caucus.
- Earlier last week, Phillips said he hasn’t ruled out running for President himself in 2024, but that there are others who are “better prepared to campaign with national organizations, national name recognition, which I do not possess.”
- “I think I’m well positioned to be president of the United States, I do not believe I’m well positioned to run for it right now,” Phillips said in August 2023
DEMOCRATIC REP. DEAN PHILLIPS ON STEPPING DOWN FROM HIS HOUSE LEADERSHIP POSITION:
“I’ll continue to abide by my convictions, place people over politics, and support our shared mission to deliver security, opportunity, and prosperity for all Americans. Onward,” Phillips said.
BACKGROUND:
- In April 2023, an NBC News poll found that 51% of Democrats do not want Biden to run for reelection in 2024.
- Among the 70% of likely voters who do not support a second term from Biden, 48% cited age as a “major” reason for their decision.
- “The president needs to reflect the age group in the country. They should both retire,” said a participant in the poll. “It is someone else’s turn.”
- 41% of registered voters said they would vote for Biden in the general election, compared to 47% of registered voters who claimed they would vote for the leading Republican.
- 54% of adult poll respondents noted they disapprove of Biden’s job performance.
- According to Democratic pollster Jeff Horwitt of Hart Research, the organization behind the poll alongside Republican Bill McInturff and the group Public Opinion Strategies, President Biden’s “numbers are not where they need to be at this stage.”
- Biden’s approval rating dropped to a near-record low in March, according to a poll by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research.
- Only 38% of Americans approved of Biden’s overall job as president, a drop from February’s 45% approval rating.
- 54% of Democrats under the age of 45 approve of Biden’s economic decisions, compared to 72% of Democrats over the age of 45.
