Supporters of Congressman Dean Phillips have launched a $1 million-plus ad campaign attacking the electability of former Vice President Joe Biden. The ads, which debuted on Tuesday night, accuse Biden of being too old, too out of touch, and too entrenched in Washington, D.C., to lead the nation. The ads echo criticism from some of the other Democratic presidential candidates that Biden is too “establishment” to have a chance in defeating President Donald Trump in 2020.
The campaign reportedly will target Democrats in key primary states, such as Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina, and Nevada. Phillips, a millionaire businessman from Minnesota, has surged in polls in recent weeks and has risen to the forefront of the more than 20 candidates who are running for the 2020 Democratic nomination. Phillips is drawing support from college-educated suburban voters and is appealing to the more moderate wing of the Democratic Party.
Phillips’ team is pushing hard to make the congressman a viable candidate in the early primary and caucus states. The ads build on the message that he is a bridge builder and a modern Democrat, who can appeal to a wide swath of the electorate and be successful in the general election against Trump. It remains to be seen whether the ad campaign will have an impact on Biden’s standing in the polls, but for now, the Phillips campaign is hoping to make inroads with the Democratic Party electorate.
