Rep. Dean Phillips (D-Minn.), who mounted a last-minute primary challenge against President Biden after urging him to step aside due to cognitive concerns, is contemplating leaving the Democratic Party. This consideration follows Vice President Kamala Harris’s unchallenged ascension to the Democratic presidential nomination. Phillips, who will retire at the end of his third term in January, launched his campaign last fall. Despite struggling to secure ballot access in several states, he maintained that his run was driven by a desire for a better outcome for the country.
In a recent interview with Fox News, Phillips stated that he would be open to serving in the next administration regardless of which party wins in November. “I didn’t want to run this cycle. I spent two years trying to call attention to something I was seeing clearly with my own eyes,” he said. “I remember my Republican buddies excoriating Donald Trump quietly behind closed doors and then praising him in front of cameras. I saw my Democratic colleagues doing the same thing about Joe Biden, who we knew was in decline, probably going to lose.”
In reference to his unsuccessful White House run, Phillips told Fox News that he “didn’t want to do it,” but “it became evident that our political culture punishes courage, rewards cowardice and silence.” He added: “Someone had to do it. In two weeks, I put together a campaign to run for president. But the message was to try to be a Paul Revere — not a George Washington. It took someone to hand over power, like Joe Biden did, to really make it happen.”
When asked whether he had aspirations to run for president again in the future, Phillips said he just aspires “to help this country in some way, shape or form.” The Minnesota Democrat went on to say: “This was not about running for president. This was about showing people that it is never too late, and you should sit up and stand up and do something when you feel that something is wrong. And I did that. If there is a way to serve my country in a Democratic administration — in a Republican administration — my goodness, we should all stand up and accept that invitation whenever it is issued. So, you never know.”
Shark Tank investor Kevin O’Leary cautioned Democrats that they might come to regret elevating Harris to the top of the ticket, potentially realizing their mistake when it’s too late. O’Leary, speaking with Fox News’ Rachel Campos-Duffy on Saturday, suggested that while Democrats may be celebrating a successful Democratic National Convention in Chicago, they might be overlooking that Harris could turn out to be a second version of Hillary Clinton.
“It’s 50-50, she may win, she may lose. This whole party, the Democratic Party, is going to revisit what happened here because they did the same thing with Hillary Clinton. It was assumed she would win, they anointed her, she lost. Harris is assumed a winner by atonement. If she loses, the party will never do this to itself again because they missed the opportunity to run a process and suck up another week of airtime — and they didn’t do it!” O’Leary said.
O’Leary pointed to California Governor Gavin Newsom’s sarcastic remarks about the “very inclusive process” of selecting Harris as the party’s nominee. He noted that this was one of the few areas where he and the Democratic governor found common ground. “I’m not saying she’s going to lose, but I would have never let that happen if I’m selling a business,” he said. “I tell my managers, never bring me one offer, bring me a process, show me there’s no other bid out there that I want, then I’ll make a decision if I’m selling. I was amazed they didn’t do that here.”
Disclaimer: This article may contain commentary which reflects the author’s opinion.