(WItWave) - Former 2020 Democratic presidential candidate Andrew Yang has officially endorsed US Rep. Dean Phillips for the presidency. Yang announced a joint campaign event with Phillips, praising the three-term congressman from Minnesota for prioritizing the country over personal ambitions.
"In this time of need, only one person decided to place his country above his professional aspirations, put his conviction above the chattering class, and that is the man I am proud to endorse tonight as the next president of the United States, three-term congressman from Minnesota Dean Phillips," said Yang.
Phillips, who is adopting policies championed by Yang, including Medicare for All and Universal Basic Income pilot programs, aims to appeal to progressive voters in his presidential bid against incumbent President Joe Biden. Yang's endorsement is expected to boost Phillips' credibility among the Democratic base.
Yang and Phillips share a common vision on key issues, and Phillips has assembled a team with left-leaning senior campaign staff, including Zach Graumann, who managed Yang's 2020 campaign, and Jeff Weaver, a senior advisor with experience from Bernie Sanders' presidential bids.
Notably, Yang, who ran as a Democrat in 2020, declared his independence from the Democratic Party in 2021. This endorsement is a significant development in Phillips' campaign as he seeks traction in the New Hampshire Democratic primary. However, the national party has deemed this primary noncompliant with its nominating calendar, and no delegates will be awarded based on the results.
Despite these challenges, Phillips remains optimistic about his campaign's prospects in New Hampshire, expressing a goal of finishing in double digits and considering anything in the 20s a "heck of a good start." The state's Democrats have initiated a low-key write-in campaign for President Biden, who did not officially register for the primary. A recent CNN poll indicated significant support for writing in Biden's name, with only 7% planning to vote for Phillips. Phillips, undeterred, sees the primary as the beginning of his campaign journey.
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