Rep. Dean Phillips, D-Minn., said he doesn’t want President Joe Biden to run again in 2024.
Phillips made his comments during an interview on WCCO’s Chad Hartman radio show on Thursday.
CNN called it the strongest public comment yet about Biden and a second term from a lawmaker within the Democratic Party.
Phillips was asked if he wanted Biden to run in 2024.
He replied: "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.
"But to answer your question directly, which I know is quite rare, 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. And with that, I hope we see a resurgence of the principled center-right Republican Party reform.
"We're still a ways off from the next election cycle but that doesn't change my perspective. I want to be clear, what I hope is that other Democrats step up. Competition is good. We should never pre-anoint anybody. Joe Biden has served our country admirably, with principal and with decency at a time when we surely needed it.
"But, I'm part of a caucus here in Congress where our three top leaders are over 80 years old, where the president will be over 80 at the next election. And I think it's time for a generational change. I'm not shy to say that. I do believe most of my colleagues feel the same way."
And Phillips added: "We cannot allow Donald Trump or any of his minions to return to the White House. For this country, we need people of principal, whether Democrats or Republicans in the White House."
The Washington Examiner noted that Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said they would support Biden in 2024 if he chooses to run again.
But the news outlet pointed out that others, like Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., have declined to say if they would support Biden in 2024.
A CNN poll released this week revealed that 75% of Democrats and Democrat-leaning voters want someone nominated other than Biden in the 2024 presidential race.
Jeffrey Rodack ✉
Jeffrey Rodack, who has nearly a half century in news as a senior editor and city editor for national and local publications, has covered politics for Newsmax for nearly seven years.
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