Dean Phillips Says He Plans To Stay In Presidential Race Despite Campaign Layoffs

Democratic presidential candidate Dean Phillips on Friday pledged to remain within the 2024 race although his marketing campaign laid off a number of members of workers, calling for extra donations to assist advance his candidacy.

In a video posted on his social media accounts, Phillips acknowledged the uphill battle his marketing campaign has to climb as he claimed it’s been laborious to compete within the major “when your party’s working against you.”

“I’ve really worked hard, put a lot of money in this myself,” the Minnesota Democrat stated. “But I found it almost impossible to raise enough to do this campaign the way I want.”

Phillips added that this actuality has pressured him to make the tough determination to downsize his staff. Still, he pledged to stay within the race to supply a substitute for voters who don’t wish to see a rematch between President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump, the presumptive Republican nominee.

“Sadly I had to announce layoffs to a lot of my staff members, amazing people who gave up a lot personally and a lot professionally to join this remarkable campaign and it was a really tough day for all of us,” he stated. “But I made a promise to them and I’m gonna make it to you, I’m not giving up. I’m going to continue!”

Phillips urged his supporters to financially contribute to his White House bid.

“If you still believe that change is possible and you still believe that we can do better, please consider investing in our campaign,” he stated.

Phillips joined the presidential race in October, suggesting Biden is simply too previous to run for reelection.

“I think President Biden has done a spectacular job for our country,” he instructed CBS News on the time. “But it’s not about the past, this is an election about the future.”

But his marketing campaign has failed to achieve traction with Democratic voters.

Phillips garnered slightly below 20% of the vote in New Hampshire the place Biden managed to attain a win regardless of his identify not being on the poll as a consequence of a dispute between the Democratic National Committee and state social gathering officers.

In South Carolina, Phillips got here third, trailing each Biden, who obtained over 96% of the vote, and self-help writer Marianne Williamson, who has since withdrawn from the competition.

A spokesperson for Phillips’ marketing campaign instructed Politico the candidate plans to remain within the major till at the very least the Democratic National Convention in Chicago later this summer time. But Phillips has for now cancelled deliberate journey and can proceed campaigning from Washington, D.C., the spokesperson added.

The subsequent contest on the Democratic major calendar is Michigan on Feb. 27.