Rep. Dean Phillips (D-MN) says his colleagues are unwilling to come out with their concerns about President Joe Biden’s potential 2024 reelection run.
While speaking with The Atlantic, Phillips said, “This is not a knock on Joe Biden, just a wish for competition.”
He added, “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.”
Phillips told the outlet, “Believe me, there are literally hundreds in Congress who would say the same thing. But they simply won’t f***ing say a word.”
His comments come just before Biden is set to head off to Baltimore Wednesday to meet with Democrats for a strategy session for 2024, per NBC News.
A White House official told the outlet Biden will use the time to “speak to congressional Democrats about building on the progress they have achieved making the economy work from the bottom up and the middle out, as well as combating Republicans’ top-down policies that hurt working Americans.”
“He will thank them for the strength of their unified caucus on both of those core priorities,” the official said.
They continued, “The president will discuss how to keep bringing jobs back to America at an historic rate, keep lowering costs like prescription drugs and energy, and further cutting the deficit by having rich special interests pay their fair share.”
Democratic Vice Caucus Chairman Ted Lieu (D-Calif.) told NBC News they will show voters the party will “stop stupid stuff from happening.”
He added, “We need to make sure that the debt limit is increased so we don’t default on our debts. We have to make sure they don’t pass a national abortion ban.”
Last month, an AP-NORC poll found most Democrats do not want to see Biden run again.
Only 37% of Democrats want Biden to run again, a decrease from roughly 50% in October and January polls from the agency.
The poll was conducted between January 26 to 30 and surveyed 1,068 Americans.
When asked if he is running again earlier this week, Biden said, “Well, apparently, someone interviewed my wife today, I heard. I gotta call her and find out.”
He added, “No, all kidding aside, my intention … has been from the beginning to run, but there’s too many other things I have to finish in the near-term before I start a campaign.”
