Congressman Dean Phillips suspended his presidential campaign, effectively leaving President Joe Biden as the only Democrat seeking their party’s presidential nomination.
“To all who supported my effort, thank you,” Phillips wrote on X on March 6. “We will continue the important work to ensure a more responsive, democratic, and generationally diverse political system.”
“But it is clear that alternative is not me. And it is clear that Joe Biden is OUR candidate and OUR opportunity to demonstrate what type of country America is and intends to be.”
Biden currently leads in the race for the Democratic Party’s nomination with 1,551 delegates to Phillips’s zero. There are also two “uncommitted” delegates in Michigan following a protest against Biden’s involvement in the Israel-Hamas conflict.
Phillips’ campaign was always considered to be a long shot. The businessman, who launched his challenge in October, said the party needed to focus on the future and vowed to fix the economy.
“It is time for the torch to be passed to a new generation of American leaders,” he said at the time.
Phillips’ campaign was not embraced by other Democrats.
California Governor Gavin Newsom urged the congressman to end his challenge to Biden’s reelection campaign as polls closed on March 5.
“Congratulations to Joe Biden, Uncommitted, Marianne Williamson, and Nikki Haley for demonstrating more appeal to Democratic Party loyalists than me,” Phillips wrote in a post around 8:42 p.m. ET.
“Appreciate the self awareness. Tonight's the night you should drop out and support our nominee,” replied Newsom.
“From a self-awareness professional,” the Minnesota congressman responded in turn.
While confirming the end of his bid for the White House, Phillips praised Biden and underscored his personal connection to the presumptive nominee.
“In 2011, I hosted then VP Biden at my home. Most notable was his empathy and kindness to my daughters and the catering staff, with whom he sat and had ice cream,” he recollected. “His decency and wisdom were rarities in politics then, and even more so today.”
“In light of the stark reality we face, I ask you [to] join me in mobilizing, energizing, and doing everything you can to help keep a man of decency and integrity in the White House. That's Joe Biden,” Phillips told his supporters.
“Let's lead with invitation, not confrontation, to welcome Haley supporters, Trump supporters, and Uncommitted supporters to get this done,” he said. “It's our calling, it's our legacy, and it's our time.”
Self-help author Marianne Williamson “unsuspended” her presidential campaign in late February after suggesting Biden would be unable to defeat the presumptive Republican nominee, former President Donald Trump, whom she described as a “fascist.”
Williamson did not win any of the states that held primaries on March 5.
