Despite the Democratic National Committee’s efforts to propel President Joe Biden toward the 2024 nomination by nixing any Democratic primary debates, a handful of rivals have emerged in an effort to provide an alternative to the elderly and increasingly unpopular incumbent.
In addition to author Marianne Williamson and Robert F. Kennedy, who has since dropped out to mount an independent White House bid, another name — U.S. Rep. Dean Phillips (D-MN) — has recently entered the Democratic primary field.
Since announcing his candidacy in late October, however, Phillips has faced an uphill battle in his attempt to secure a spot on primary ballots in a handful of states.
Despite a campaign kickoff that occurred before the primary deadlines in Florida, North Carolina and Tennessee, the three states have not included him. He issued a statement this week denouncing the decision and calling on Biden to actually debate the issues with rivals in his own party.
“Unilaterally taking away the right of rank-and-file Democrats, including a disproportionate number of Black voters demanding a more affordable America, is reprehensible,” the congressman said. “If Joe Biden is the best candidate to defeat Donald Trump and lead us to a safer, more affordable future, let him compete for that privilege without his supporters suppressing and disenfranchising millions of voters.”
He took on the Democratic Party establishment in Florida head-on after it decided to cancel the March 19 primary entirely and include only Biden’s name as a candidate.
“Americans would expect the absence of democracy in Tehran, not Tallahassee,” Phillips asserted last week. “The Florida Democratic Party’s intentional disenfranchisement of voters runs counter to everything for which our Democratic Party and country stand. Our mission as Democrats is to defeat authoritarians, not become them.”
Florida Democratic Party Chair Nikki Fried lashed out at Phillips, describing his comments as “conspiratorial and inappropriate” and claiming that the state party apparatus is only following “long-established procedures.”
For her part, Williamson has also lamented the current state of the 2024 Democratic primary race.
That means a Republican debate although Trump will not be present.
Why not a Democratic debate although President Biden will not be present? @CNNPolitics https://t.co/j5FcCaIrVI— Marianne Williamson (@marwilliamson) December 7, 2023
Following the first GOP presidential primary debate in August, she said: “The majority of Democratic voters have said that they want to see debates just like the Republicans had the other night. The Republican electorate should see what their choices are, and so should the Democrats.”
