Biden's Democratic challenger Dean Phillips offers to be Nikki Haley’s VP on ‘unity ticket’

Dean Phillips, who is still running against Biden for the Democratic nomination, suggested that he would consider becoming Nikki Haley's running mate.

Published on: Feb 23, 2024, 20:32:07 IST

By Shweta Kukreti

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Minnesota Rep. Dean Phillips, who is still running against President Joe Biden for the Democratic nomination, suggested that he would consider becoming Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley's running mate on a "unity ticket" to oppose Biden and Donald Trump.

Democratic presidential candidate U.S. Representative Dean Phillips (D-MN) speaks at South Carolina (REUTERS)

Philips recently appeared on the Chad Hartman Show, where the WCCO radio host asked if he would vote Haley over Biden in case she becomes the 2024 Republican nominee.

“Wouldn't all your listeners be maybe more compelled by Nikki Haley and Dean Phillips getting together on a unity ticket, and actually doing for the first time perhaps in our country's history what most Americans actually want, which is cooperation, collaboration, participation, decency, common sense leadership," he responded.

Also Read: Who is Dean Phillips? Minnesota Rep. launches primary challenge against Biden

Philips further claimed that “there is no way” that Haley will become the GOP nominee and even the “Democratic Party doesn't want competition and seems to want to coronate Joe Biden”.

Hartman then asked would Minnesota Rep. consider running as her vice president if she ran as an independent.

“I think it is a conversation that Ambassador Haley and I should have if that is what this comes down to,” he replied, adding that if Biden is Democratic party nominee then Trump's “victory is almost certain”.

“I think anybody, including myself, should keep open minds and hearts about that. I hope Nikki Haley does and I think America would be very well served by some type of bipartisan ticket that restores faith in government,” he added.

Will Trump win South Carolina GOP primary?

To begin with, primary polls show Trump has a significant advantage in Haley's home state South Carolina. On Thursday afternoon, Trump led Haley by over two-to-one, 64 percent to 33 percent, according to 538's South Carolina polling average – a three-fold increase over Trump's New Hampshire victory margin, ABC News reported.

Also Read: Nikki Haley vs Trump: Here's what to watch for in South Carolina's Republican primary

If the polls turn accurate, Trump would enjoy the most significant victories a Republican primary candidate has ever had in South Carolina. In the 1988 primary, then-Vice President George H.W. Bush won by 28 points, setting a precedent for non-incumbents. Bush then prevailed by 41 points while pursuing reelection in 1992. While Trump has a little chance to beat Bush's 1992 record, his advantage in the polling average would be narrower than Bush's 1988 victory margin.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Shweta Kukreti
Shweta Kukreti has over 8 years of experience in covering Indian and world politics. She joined the Hindustan Times in 2024 and is primarily assigned to the US desk. She currently works as Deputy Chief Content Producer and reports on a wide range of topics, including US politics, immigration issues (especially H-1B visa) and major global events. Shweta strongly emphasizes team operations, which encompasses monitoring news, delegating tasks, editing, developing comprehensive coverage strategies, and crafting engaging, and data-informed narratives. She received the Digi Star Award at the Hindustan Times within a year of joining for her broad coverage of US politics. In 2025, she earned both a promotion and a redesignation, a significant achievement recognising her contributions and the strong value she brings to the team. She has previously worked with the Indian Express, HTDS, ANI and Republic World. Seniors in all the media organisations recognised her work. Regarding education, she earned a BA (Hons.) in Political Science and a master's degree from Delhi University, and she pursued a PG Diploma in English Journalism from the Indian Institution of Mass Communication (IIMC). She also holds a diploma in Women's Empowerment and Development from IGNOU University and a French certification course from Alliance Française de Delhi. If not working, you can find her exploring the hills and engaging in adventurous activities in Rishikesh and Himachal Pradesh. She loves to play badminton, volleyball, and chess, and spend time with her friends and family. She also enjoys spiritual activities.Read More

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