- Biden gained the South Carolina Democratic major on Saturday, capturing over 96% of the vote.
- However major challenger Dean Phillips on Sunday stated that warning indicators stay for Biden.
- “He ought to have handed the torch,” Phillips stated of Biden’s 2024 reelection bid.
President Joe Biden on Saturday swept the South Carolina Democratic major, profitable over 96% of the vote and dominating intraparty rivals Marianne Williamson and Rep. Dean Phillips.
However regardless of Biden’s big win, Phillips during a Sunday appearance on MSNBC’s “The Weekend” continued to insist that Biden isn’t your best option for Democrats and stated the president ought to have “handed the torch” to a brand new era of leaders.
“Individuals are actually struggling proper now. 60% residing paycheck to paycheck, 40% do not have $400 within the financial institution,” Phillips stated. “And right here we’ve the president in our get together saying GDP progress is up, job progress is nice. Persons are annoyed and they’re fearful and so they’re seeing wars around the globe.”
“I respect Joe Biden. He ought to have handed the torch,” the Minnesota congressman continued. “This was not a mission for me. However somebody had to do that.”
Phillips then stated that regardless of Biden’s overwhelming victory in South Carolina, the president remained weak in opposition to former President Donald Trump, pointing to the slew of aggressive nationwide polls — and swing state polls — that present the previous president main in key battlegrounds that would resolve the race for the White Home in November.
“Jimmy Carter was at 58% in January of 1980,” Phillips stated as he referenced the previous Democratic president’s standing earlier than he ultimately misplaced reelection later that 12 months. “Joe Biden’s at 38%. I am simply making an attempt to get up our get together.”
“We’re the Progressive Social gathering. We ought to be transferring ahead. I see the writing on the wall,” he added.
Phillips introduced his lengthy shot candidacy final October however has thus far been unable to realize traction within the contest regardless of Biden’s polling struggles over the past 12 months. The congressman has additionally taken warmth from fellow Democrats like Pennsylvania Sen. John Fetterman, who in December derided his presidential marketing campaign as “a dream for Trump.”
On Saturday, Phillips gained lower than 2% of the vote within the South Carolina Democratic major, coming in third place behind Williamson.
Lots of Phillips’ Home Democratic colleagues stay puzzled by his candidacy and have change into overtly vital of the first problem in opposition to Biden, who’s more likely to be locked in a extremely aggressive rematch in opposition to Trump this fall.
“I feel it is extra of a joke at this level,” Florida Rep. Maxwell Frost lately instructed Enterprise Insider’s Bryan Metzger of Phillips’ candidacy. “He does not have the assets to be tremendous aggressive.”
