MINNEAPOLIS — Minnesota U.S. Rep. Dean Phillips said he doesn't want Joe Biden to run for president again in 2024, one of the first Democrats in Congress to bluntly call for him to step aside and for a "new generation" of leadership in the White House.
Phillips, serving his second term in the suburban Third District, first made the comments Thursday in an interview on WCCO Radio, after host Chad Hartman asked him about apprehension from other Democrats about Biden seeking a second term.
"I have respect for Joe Biden, I think he has — despite some mistakes and some missteps, despite his age — I think he's a man of decency, of good principle, of compassion, of empathy and of strength," Phillips said. "But to answer your question directly, which I know is quite rare, Chad, no, I don't. I think the country would be well-served by a new generation of compelling, well-prepared, dynamic Democrats to step up."
Phillips' comments come as many members of his party are privately concerned about a second term for Biden, who is lagging in polls and will be nearly 81 years old during the next presidential election.
Biden has said he's running again, and most Democrats in Washington have either said publicly that they're supporting him or declined to say whether they want him to seek re-election.
But recent polls show a strong majority of Democrats want their party to nominate a new candidate in 2024. Phillips told Hartman he expects more Democrats to start speaking out about their concerns.
"As we navigate domestic division and build a bright, prosperous, and secure future for America, I believe it's time for a new generation of dynamic Democratic leadership in Congress and in the White House," Phillips said in a statement to The Minneapolis Star Tribune.
"Under no condition can we afford another four years of Donald Trump, and while Joe Biden was clearly the right candidate at the right time two years ago, it's my hope that both major parties put forward new candidates of principle, civility, and integrity in 2024."
Phillips, 53, is seeking a third term this fall and facing a challenge from Republican candidate Tom Weiler. His district is labeled as "solid Democrat" by the Cook Political Report.
