Democratic Congressman Resigns from Leadership as He Considers Run Against Biden
Do the sharks smell blood?
Incumbent President Joe Biden may certainly feel that way as he’s beginning to face increasingly choppy waters and increased scrutiny over his 2024 re-election bid.
Making matters worse? He’s facing this opposition not just from the Republicans, but from within his own party.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who may not actually be in Biden’s party for much longer, is the most prominent (soon-to-be-former) Democrat to present a thorn in the incumbent president’s side — and he’s hardly the only one.
Author Marianne Williamson, perhaps the longest of long shots, has also formally announced running against Biden as a Democrat.
Minnesota Democratic Rep. Dean Phillips is another potential problem for Biden, as the congressman just took a drastic step to potentially challenging the incumbent president.
Phillips took to X, formerly Twitter, to reveal that he was going to be taking several steps back from his various congressional roles:
I have decided to step down from the DPCC & Democratic Caucus leadership. While politics & official work do not mix, it’s clear my convictions about 2024 are incongruent with the position of my colleagues & that was causing discomfort. I was not pressured or forced to resign. 1/2
— Rep. Dean Phillips 🇺🇸 (@RepDeanPhillips) October 1, 2023
“I have decided to step down from the [Democratic Policy and Communications Committee] & Democratic Caucus leadership,” Phillips posted. “While politics & official work do not mix, it’s clear my convictions about 2024 are incongruent with the position of my colleagues & that was causing discomfort.
“I was not pressured or forced to resign.”
In a subsequent X post, Phillips clarified that there was nothing untoward or scrupulous about his resignation and that he still had ample love for Democratic leadership.
To the contrary, @RepJeffries has provided space & place for all perspectives, and I celebrate him and our DPCC Chair, @RepJoeNeguse for their authentic & principled leadership. I’ll continue to put people over politics, and ask our Congress and country join me. Onward! 🇺🇸 2/2
— Rep. Dean Phillips 🇺🇸 (@RepDeanPhillips) October 1, 2023
While lawmakers step up and down in various roles throughout Congress all the time, Phillips’ move comes shortly after reports began circulating that he was strongly considering a primary challenge against Biden.
In an August interview with the Minnesota Star Tribune, Phillips stopped just short of actually challenging Biden — but didn’t exactly offer up glowing words of encouragement either.
“The president should pass the torch because that’s the only way that that stage will open up,” Phillips said.
Phillips further explained that he held concern for the collective age of Biden and GOP primary frontrunner, former President Donald Trump.
Indeed, regardless of who walks away the winner between a Trump-Biden general election sequel, the man being sworn in on Inauguration Day will officially be the oldest president ever sworn in — and that’s cause for concern for Phillips.
“I’m not the first person in the United States of America to recognize that we face an actuarial issue with both candidates. … Not just President Biden, but also former President Trump,” Phillips told the Star Tribune. “When I say actuarial issue, all you have to do is look at an actuarial table to understand the likelihood of either of these men living through the end of the next term, period.”
Indeed, even by the government’s own life expectancy charts, the odds simply are not in Biden’s favor.
And yet, Phillips has also said that if Biden ends up being the Democratic nominee, he will still support the president.
“I will do everything I can to ensure he is re-elected despite my concerns, because they don’t even come close to the concerns that I have about his likely opponent,” Phillips said, in a clear allusion to Trump.
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