In a surprising turn of events, Andrew Yang, the 2020 Democratic presidential candidate, has publicly endorsed US Rep. Dean Phillips for the presidency. The endorsement came during a joint campaign event with the Minnesota Democrat on Thursday.
“In these challenging times, only one individual has chosen to prioritize his nation over his professional ambitions, to value his convictions over the noise of the political elite. That individual is the man I am honored to endorse tonight as the next president of the United States, three-term congressman from Minnesota, Dean Phillips,” Yang declared at the campaign event.
Phillips has embraced policies championed by Yang during his unsuccessful bid for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2020 and his subsequent run for the New York City mayorship in 2021. These policies include Medicare for All and Universal Basic Income pilot programs, as Phillips seeks to attract progressive voters in his uphill battle against President Joe Biden.
Phillips’ campaign team includes notable left-leaning senior staff such as campaign manager Zach Graumann, who managed Yang’s 2020 campaign, and senior advisor Jeff Weaver, a veteran of Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders’ 2016 and 2020 presidential campaigns.
Yang announced in 2021 that he was parting ways with the Democratic Party and registering as an independent. Despite this, his endorsement of Phillips comes ahead of the New Hampshire Democratic primary on Tuesday. The national party has stated that no delegates will be awarded based on the primary results as the contest does not comply with the Democratic National Committee’s revised nominating calendar.
While President Biden did not register for the New Hampshire primary, state Democrats have initiated a discreet write-in campaign on his behalf. A recent CNN poll revealed that 69% of likely New Hampshire Democratic primary voters intended to write in Biden’s name, with only 7% planning to vote for Phillips and 6% for author Marianne Williamson.
Phillips’ campaign has been intensely focused on New Hampshire, where he hopes to jumpstart his bid in the absence of Biden on the ballot. Earlier this week, he expressed optimism about his chances, stating that a double-digit finish in New Hampshire would be a “heck of a good start.”
“If I’m somewhere in the 20s, I’ll be thrilled,” he said on Monday. “We’re just beginning this campaign.”
This story has been updated with additional information.