REUTERS/Reba Saldanha/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsNov 24 (Reuters) - U.S. Representative Dean Phillips of Minnesota, a long-shot challenger to President Joe Biden for the Democratic presidential nomination, on Friday said he would not run for reelection.
The 54-year-old millionaire businessman and three-term congressman last month said he would run against Biden, seizing on the president's lackluster approval ratings and voter wariness over his age.
The post linked to an interview in the Minnesota Star Tribune paper, in which he explained his move.
Phillips, who first won his seat in 2018 and won reelection in 2020 and 2022, said it would be "unproductive and uncomfortable" to run again, given his nomination bid.
Phillips is unlikely to affect Biden's chance of securing the party's nomination, given the incumbent's deep resources, official party support and reshaping of the party's nominating contest calendar to help fend off any early challengers.
Persons:
Dean Phillips, Reba Saldanha, Joe Biden, Phillips, Donald Trump, David Ljunggren, Marguerita Choy
Organizations:
Democratic, U.S, statehouse, REUTERS, Dean Phillips of, Biden, Minnesota Star Tribune, Republican, Thomson
Locations:
Concord , New Hampshire, U.S, Dean Phillips of Minnesota