Earlier this week, a Democrat representative claimed that “literally hundreds” of Democrats in Congress oppose a reelection run for President Joe Biden.
While speaking with The Atlantic, Rep. Dean Phillips (D-MN) said the race for the 2024 Democratic nomination needs competition, stating that in the business world anything with Biden’s approval ratings would be facing difficult opposition.
“This is not a knock on Joe Biden, just a wish for competition,” Phillips said. “In the business world, if the dominant brand in a category had favorability ratings like the current president does, you would see a number of established brands jump into that category.”
“Believe me, there are literally hundreds in Congress who would say the same thing,” he added. “But they simply won’t f—ing say a word.”
While Phillips didn’t disclose the names of any of the dissatisfied lawmakers, his views are not out of line with those held by Democratic voters.
Recent surveys reaffirmed that Democratic voters, by a significant margin, want someone other than Biden to challenge the Republican Party for the White House in 2024.
During Biden’s time in office, Americans have seen an intensified border crisis, a gas price crisis and a generational inflation crisis. They also have seen the Taliban retake Afghanistan after the severely botched withdrawal early in the presidency.
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In addition, many Democrats understand that Biden’s age of 80 is a serious concern for many voters and a significant deterrent to his second term. Should Biden win in 2024, he would likely be president until the age of 86. This has prompted some Democrats to encourage the party to reconsider Vice President Kamala Harris being Biden’s 2024 running mate.
Phillips has previously spoken against Biden running and has become increasingly outspoken as the 2024 presidential campaign season is likely to begin in earnest in the summer.
Last month, Phillips told Politico that Democrats are voicing fears behind closed doors but are so far refusing to say anything publicly about Biden.
“It’s fear, plain and simple,” Phillips said. “People are focused on self-preservation and their aspirations.”
“Nobody wants to be the one to do something that would undermine the chances of a Democratic victory in 2024,” he explained. “Yet in quiet rooms the conversation is just the opposite — we could be at a higher risk if this path is cleared.”
