Rep. Dean Phillips says he will ‘encourage’ Democrats like Manchin to run against Biden

Rep. Dean Phillips (D-Minn.), who has floated a potential primary run against President Biden, said Sunday he will “encourage” other Democrats to run against the incumbent president without being definitive about his own political future.

“Anybody who wants to run — [Sen.] Joe Manchin, (D-W.Va.) Cornel West, any of the governors … in the primaries. That’s why we have the primaries, because that doesn’t undermine the likelihood of returning, in this case, a Democrat to the White House,” Phillips said in an interview with NBC’s Chuck Todd on “Meet The Press.”

Phillips, who has brought up the possibility of himself running against Biden, said the majority of the country wants to “turn the page” in the upcoming election.

“I’m representing what I believe to be the majority of the country that wants to turn the page, tired of the meanness and fearmongering of Donald Trump,” Phillips said. “We’d like to see Joe Biden, a wonderful and remarkable man, pass the torch, cement this extraordinary light.”

When Todd asked Phillips if he does not want Biden to run for reelection, Phillips said he believes the majority of people want to move on from Biden.

“I’m actively inviting, encouraging — to some degree, imploring — that people who are ready and know it’s probably time to do so, take the chance,” Phillips said.