Rep. Dean Phillips (D., Minn.) on Wednesday ended his longshot challenge to President Joe Biden for the Democratic Party's nomination.
"I ran for Congress in 2018 to resist Donald Trump," Phillips said on X, "I was trapped in the Capitol in 2021 because of Donald Trump, and I ran for president in 2024 to resist Donald Trump again—because Americans were demanding an alternative, and democracy demands options. But it is clear that alternative is not me. And it is clear that Joe Biden is OUR candidate and OUR opportunity to demonstrate what type of country America is and intends to be."
Phillips called on the Democratic Party to grow its electorate heading into the general election.
"Let's use invitation, not confrontation, to welcome Haley supporters, Trump supporters, and Uncommitted supporters to get this done," Phillips said, referencing a protest vote effort against Biden. "It's our calling, it's our legacy, and it's our time. Onward with joy and patriotism!"
The announcement comes after Phillips lost to Biden in this week's Super Tuesday primaries. While his campaign was active, he garnered votes in some primaries but did not win a single delegate. "Uncommitted" won 2 delegates in Michigan and 11 in Minnesota.
Phillips in January said he planned to take his campaign "all the way to the convention." He also told voters at the time that he would consider a run with centrist group No Labels or another third-party group if it had data showing he could "actually take votes away from Donald Trump."
Also on Wednesday, Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley dropped out of the race the day after she lost 14 out of 15 Super Tuesday states to former president Donald Trump.
Although it was always the likeliest result of the primaries, Haley and Phillips's dropping out sets the stage for Trump and Biden to face off as the major-party nominees this November.