Former Democratic congressman for Minnesota Dean Phillips warned the Democratic Party against embracing nominees like New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani, saying a victory in the general election would be a “grave threat” to the party’s chances in the 2026 midterm elections.

Phillips, who ran in the 2024 Democratic Party presidential primary against former President Joe Biden, said on CNN that the best strategy for Democrats to win is to elevate “normal candidates.” He said it’s “nonsensical” to think voters want “Democratic socialists” in power, and suggested people who have this desire should start their own party.

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“You know, we do share many of the same values. In fact, most Americans share a lot of the same values. But as a political party, yes, you want diversity, you want some differences of opinion and perspective, life story, politics, and experience,” Phillips said Wednesday. 

“But when you have socialists in the Democratic Party, I don’t know how anybody could argue that that would be beneficial for the party or for the country. Therein lies the great challenge,” Phillips said.

The former Minnesota lawmaker said a similar dilemma is happening in the Republican Party, with some asking, “Is [Make America Great Again] the future?” He predicted that if his opposing party continues to embrace President Donald Trump’s platform, it would result in voters embracing a new “grand, successful” third party.

“They want decency, they want common sense, competency, and cooperation, and no party right now is elevating candidates who represent those ideals,” Phillips said.

IT WON’T BE EASY FOR MUSK TO BUILD A SUCCESSFUL THIRD PARTY

Tesla CEO Elon Musk is seeking to launch the “America Party” to challenge the nation’s two-party system following a fallout with Trump. Phillips said he does not think Musk is the right person to lead a party due to how “polarizing” he is, but the former lawmaker did say he would meet with “just about anybody” to talk.

Phillips lamented the Democratic Party’s lack of cooperation with Musk in May, when the billionaire was working to cut waste in the federal government, adding that the Department of Government Efficiency “should be celebrated.”