Do Democrats Owe Dean Phillips An Apology?

MINNEAPOLIS — In July 2022, Democratic Rep. Dean Phillips of Minnesota became the first member of Congress to publicly say President Joe Biden should not seek re-election.

Phillips warned of the risks in moving forward with a non-competitive primary, expressing concern over re-nominating an incumbent he saw as vulnerable. He encouraged popular, well-known Democrats to join the race.

When none did, Phillips announced his candidacy in October 2023 to challenge Biden for the party's nomination. The backlash was swift.

Phillips was met with widespread criticism from fellow Democrats, and he was accused of being arrogant and disloyal. He was left increasingly isolated from party leaders and mainstream support.

Phillips faced obstacles getting onto state primary ballots and suggested the process was rigged. That also did not win him many fans.

"I want to know who is making this decision," he told the Washington Post after his name was rejected from North Carolina and Florida ballots in December.

"Something is telling me it’s not just coming from the chairwoman or the chairperson of the parties in their respective states. I think there’s something else going on."

Phillips' campaign became a punching bag when it failed to gain any momentum. He failed to win a single delegate, even in his home state. "Uncommitted" won 11 delegates in Minnesota alone.

Phillips suspended his campaign in March.

However, Phillips was seen as vindicated after Biden's disastrous debate performance against Donald Trump three months later, in June. That debate sparked a trickle, and then a tidal wave, of calls for Biden to drop out of the race — pressure he ultimately yielded to.

"Speak only if it improves upon the silence. -Gandhi," Phillips wrote on social media, taking a victory lapse of sorts.

But Biden’s timing in dropping out may have been far too late. With no time left for another primary, the party handpicked Vice President Kamala Harris, giving her only a brief window to launch her own campaign against Trump.

Harris and her running mate — Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz — lost to Trump on Tuesday without claiming a single swing state.

The 2024 election may stand as a powerful lesson for Democrats on the importance of internal dissent and debate. Phillips’ early warnings were dismissed as disloyalty, yet his predictions about the risks of a non-competitive primary proved prescient.

The party’s choice to rally behind an unopposed incumbent ended in a late, chaotic handoff to Harris, leaving her with limited time to build momentum.

The ensuing loss to Trump underscores the costs of silencing dissenting voices. As Democrats reflect on this outcome, Phillips’ challenge to party orthodoxy may inspire a rethinking of how future candidates are chosen and a renewed appreciation for the role of competition in strengthening a party’s platform and appeal.