A House of Representatives politician has called on the Democratic Party to provide an alternative to Joe Biden for next year’s United States election.
Dean Phillips, from Minnesota, wants the party to offer more presidential choices at the upcoming primaries. This he says would make sure his party were the “best prepared” to take on former US President Donald Trump in the votes.
Speaking to PBS, Phillips suggested philosopher Cornel West and sitting senator Joe Manchin could enter the primaries. They would be included alongside Robert F. Kennedy and Marianne Williamson.
Phillips said: “We already have a competitive primary, Robert F. Kennedy and Marianne Williamson in the race already. We already have Cornel West running as a third-party candidate. I simply want to see Cornel West enter the primary. If Joe Manchin wants to run, enter the primary. I believe Democrats do better when we have choices, freedom to choose.
“And the data right now is making me very concerned. I woke up the morning after the 2016 election. I was living a wonderful life. My daughters, 16 and 18 at that time, woke up the next morning and were in tears. I saw fear in their eyes for the first time. I promised them I would do something. And I ran for Congress.
“Five years later, I’m not going to sit still and be quiet while we have that risk of him coming back. And I want to make sure that we are best prepared with the best candidates to take on Donald Trump.”
Phillips says the party has an “extraordinary bench” of members who could take over if Biden decides not to run for another five-year term.
He added: “It is about me trying to elevate a conversation that right now is surprising that nobody wants to have. And I do not want to repeat of 2016, when we essentially anointed someone, it was her turn.
“And, lo and behold, look what happened. I think we’re sleepwalking into the very same mistake again. And the time to have the conversation is right now.”
Philips said he hoped some of the moderate governors would be willing to step up and run for president. PBS anchor Laura Barrón-López highlighted governors Gretchen Whitmer and Tim Walz, both who have said they will not contest the candidacy.
Phillips added: “They’re next-generation, exciting candidates that could activate, energize the Democratic base and get us excited. I’m looking at this as hopeful, optimistic, exciting.
“And I’m afraid that we are sleepwalking into the very circumstance of 2016. This is not about me. I’m using this 15 minutes, I’m using this opportunity with you tonight to simply ask people to give it a little thought.”
