All aboard the Dean Phillips Express!
An eagle-eyed motorist spotted a campaign bus dedicated to the Democratic congressman from Minnesota, who is preparing a late primary challenge to President Biden after spending months lamenting the 80-year-old commander in chief’s lack of domestic opponents.
Veteran Twin Cities reporter Jason DeRusha tweeted a photo of the Dean Phillips for President bus Tuesday morning, which he said was sent to him by a friend from the road in Ohio.
“The bus says ‘Let’s make America affordable again’ and uses [Phillips’] slogan ‘Everyone is invited!’” DeRusha tweeted, adding that a Phillips campaign website was registered on October 12, although it has not yet gone live.
Politico reported late last week that Phillips, 54, was expected to declare his candidacy next Friday, the deadline for candidates to file for the New Hampshire primary.
SEEN: The Dean Phillips for President bus is now on the road. Photo of my friend Amy Waller, who sells German wine, on the highway in Ohio. Bus says “Let’s make America affordable again” and uses her slogan “Everyone’s invited!” The website is not active, but just registered on 10/12. pic.twitter.com/cT44n4Eo0x
-Jason DeRusha (@DeRushaJ) October 24, 2023
A Post inquiry to a Phillips spokesperson on Tuesday was sent “to the campaign,” which did not immediately respond.
Phillips’ apparent emphasis on New Hampshire echoes the strategy of another Minnesotan, Sen. Gene McCarthy, who nearly defeated President Lyndon Johnson in the 1968 Granite State primary on an anti-Vietnam War platform. McCarthy’s strong performance set off a series of events, including the candidacy of Senator Robert F. Kennedy, that led Johnson to decide not to seek a second full term.
While Phillips has been a reliable vote in Congress for the administration’s policies, he resigned from the House Democratic Policy and Communications Committee earlier this month in apparent preparation to announce his candidacy.
Phillips has expressed his hope that Biden will have more rivals in the primaries. CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images
“My beliefs regarding the 2024 presidential race are inconsistent with the majority of my caucus, and I felt it appropriate to step away from elected leadership to avoid unnecessary distractions during a critical time for our country,” Phillips said at the time.
Phillips has previously said Biden should not run for a second term, telling CBS’ “Face the Nation” in August that “Democrats tell me they don’t want a coronation, they want a contest.”
“If we don’t heed that call, it’s our fault,” Phillips added. “And I think the consequences are going to be disastrous. So, my call is to those who are well positioned, well prepared, of good character and competence, who know who they are, to participate because Democrats and the country need competition. It makes everything better. “That’s my call to them right now.”
Biden is the Democratic favorite in the primary, but some strategists have expressed concern about independents Cornel West and Robert F. Kennedy Jr.REUTERS Phillips is pictured with Biden at the 2021 Congressional Baseball Game.Rep. Dean Phillips/X
Currently, Biden’s only rival for the Democratic nomination is self-help author and spiritual guru Marianne Williamson. The RealClearPolitics polling average shows Biden garnering 70.3% support nationwide, with Williamson at 9%.
A pair of polls released last week by Quinnipiac University and CNBC put Biden’s job disapproval rating at 56% and 58%, respectively, among American adults.
Meanwhile, a CNN/SSRS poll conducted in late August found that 67% of registered and Democratic-leaning Democrats think the party should choose a different candidate for president next year.
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Source: vtt.edu.vn