Rep. Dean Phillips: Competitive Democratic primary would've "elevated a candidate better positioned to win" presidency
MINNEAPOLIS — When Democratic U.S. Rep. Dean Phillips launched a long-shot bid for the White House last fall, the campaign didn't gain ground or goodwill from his party.
But he pursued a challenge to President Joe Biden's nomination anyway because he felt Biden could not defeat Donald Trump, at the time characterizing this November's election as an "emergency" and urging Biden, then 81, to pass the torch to a new generation of leaders.
President Biden eventually did drop out—and the rest is history.
So does Phillips feel like saying: "I told you so?"
"It would be not human to not have some of those feelings, of course, but that's not my style and grievance has never served me well," Phillips said in an interview with WCCO Wednesday. "And to those who said things [about my campaign], including some elected officials right here in Minnesota, they knew the truth when they were saying those things, and they've got to live with that."
While running for president, the three-term Congressman announced he wouldn't seek re-election for his seat representing the Third District covering western Hennepin County and parts of Anoka County. Fellow Democrat Kelly Morrison, a former state senator and OBGYN who is a high school classmate of Phillips', will succeed him, and now he's preparing for life outside of Washington.
But he thinks the nation's capital would have looked different—starting with a Democrat in the White House—if there was a competitive primary to choose a nominee and Biden didn't drop out with just over 100 days left until Election Day.
"Had we pursued a competitive primary, yes, we absolutely would have elevated a candidate better positioned to win. There's no question whatsoever," Phillips said, characterizing his campaign as a late effort after others didn't mount a challenge. "I made private calls to candidates who are much better known than I were ready to enter a presidential contest with the support and network in place, and I made public calls for others to join this primary. None of them were heeded."
"And I know why now, because when you take that chance, when you jump into a primary against an incumbent you're probably never going to have a chance again because the party will attack you," he continued.
Most counties across the country shifted toward President-elect Trump compared to 2020, according to a CBS News analysis.
Phillips noted the headwinds facing Democrats—high prices, a border crisis—were challenging, but he faults Democrats for failing to address why Americans were upset about those issues.
He said Trump offered change that the Democratic ticket didn't and he believes that is a reflection that Americans are fed up with the status quo.
"One candidate promised change. Do I think most people who voted for Donald Trump know what they're getting? Yeah, a bull in a china shop," Phillips said. "He will do some things that will be probably good for this country. He's probably going to do some things that will have some great negative consequences. But at the end of the day, that's what this is really about."
Phillips said he is grateful to his constituents the last five years for the opportunity to serve them. He ruled out a bid for the U.S. Senate or for the governor's office in 2026 and said another presidential campaign is not likely when Democrats search for a nominee in 2028.
But "never say never," he joked.
For now, though, he hopes to encourage others to get involved in their community—including running for office.
"I'm going to be liberated to speak the truth, spend my time where I think it can be used best, and actually accomplish some things because the system I'm leaving prevents that," he said.
