Rep. Dean Phillips (D-Minn.), who mounted a Democratic primary bid against President Biden earlier this year, said Sunday that his voice was “ignored” this election season, but so were the voices of many other Americans.
Phillips joined “Fox News Sunday,” where he was asked by host Shannon Bream if he felt overlooked by his party this year over the course of the campaign and election.
“My voice, yes, was ignored, but tens of millions of Americans’ voices were ignored and suppressed and disenfranchised,” Phillips said.
The Minnesota Democrat was one of the only voices among the Democratic caucus to call on Biden to step aside and allow a new generation to lead, months before it actually happened.
“I was not the only one that recognized what was likely to happen last week. I was the only one that was willing to say it live, and I think it is that culture of silence and pervasive incentives in our political system that is really costing our country, and it’s not unique to one party or the other,” he said.
He consistently called for more competition among both parties and was frustrated the Democrats did not hold a normal primary.
Phillips noted that both parties have work to do to better understand the needs of their people.
“No party has a monopoly on ideas and I’m one of those getting sick and tired of it, trying to represent what I call the exhausted majority, center-right, center-left Americans who deserve better,” he said.
“But Congress can’t fix this, President Trump, President Biden cannot fix this. We got to start setting aside the nonsense, coming back together and elevating people of competence, decency and integrity so we can get our act together, because time is short, and the needs are significant,” Phillips continued.