Longshot Democratic presidential candidate Rep. Dean Phillips is planning a legal battle against state parties who have chosen to only list President Biden on their 2024 primary ballots and exclude all other challengers.
Phillips has expressed frustration at being left off the ballot in states like Florida, North Carolina and Tennessee, and is hoping to file challenges against those state Democrats and the Democratic National Committee, Semafor reported.
“Unilaterally taking away the right of rank and file Democrats, including a disproportionate number of Black voters demanding a more affordable America, is reprehensible,” Phillips told the outlet in a statement.
“If Joe Biden is the best candidate to defeat Donald Trump and lead us to a safer, more affordable future, let him compete for that privilege without his supporters suppressing and disenfranchising millions of voters,” the 54-year-old added.
The Phillips campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Post Friday.
Florida Democrats voted during their state convention in October to only submit Biden’s name to the primary ballot. Under state law, the presidential contest may not be listed on voting day if the incumbent is running unopposed.
Phillips raged about the Sunshine State Democrats’ decision at the time, comparing the move to Middle Eastern authoritarianism.
“Americans would expect the absence of democracy in Tehran, not Tallahassee,” Phillips said. “The intentional disenfranchisement of voters runs counter to everything for which our Democratic Party and country stand.”
In North Carolina, state Democratic Party chair Anderson Clayton chose to only list Biden “for the 2024 Democratic Primary ballot” in a letter sent to the state board of elections.
On Dec. 5, Tennessee Secretary of State Tre Hargett certified Biden will be the only Democratic candidate on the ballot in the Volunteer State come Super Tuesday, though Hargett did note Phillips had filed to seek ballot access and that county election commissions would review his request.
Phillips is running a campaign on directly criticizing Biden’s age and track record in office. The Minnesota lawmaker has argued Biden doesn’t have the support to beat GOP frontrunner Donald Trump, and that he had to step up to prevent the 45th president from getting a second term.
Polling data shows Phillips averaging 3.4% nationwide support compared to Biden’s 68%, according to RealClearPolitics. Biden is also facing a challenge from self-help author Marianne Williamson, who is polling at 8.4% in the RCP nationwide average.
Phillips missed the deadline to make the primary ballot in Nevada and is focusing his efforts on New Hampshire, where Biden can only be written in due to the state’s disputes with the DNC over the date of the primary.