Democratic Rep. Dean Phillips eyes 2024 challenge to Biden

By Kasie Hunt, CNN

(CNN) — Moderate Democratic Rep. Dean Phillips of Minnesota has been receiving encouragement to consider challenging President Joe Biden for the Democratic presidential nomination and will travel to New York City next week to discuss the possibility with donors, Phillips confirmed to CNN.

The plans were first reported by Politico.

A source familiar with Phillips’ thinking tells CNN the public report of his plans has spurred additional encouragement.

Phillips has said publicly he does not believe Biden should run for reelection, telling a Minnesota radio station last year that the country “would be well served by a new generation of compelling, well-prepared, dynamic Democrats to step up.”

Some Democrats have privately raised concerns about Biden’s advanced age, and Phillips’ planned meeting comes with age currently front-and-center on the political stage.

Biden fell in public earlier this summer; the Senate minority leader, Mitch McConnell, froze up at a news conference earlier this week; and Democrats have grappled with the health challenges besetting Sen. Dianne Feinstein of California.

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