- The Washington Times - Wednesday, November 22, 2023

Rep. Robert Garcia has called out Democratic presidential candidate Dean Phillips for criticizing Vice President Kamala Harris.

“Apparently Dean Phillips is floundering so hard that he’s now resorting to attacking Vice President Harris,” Mr. Garcia, California Democrat, wrote on X. “He better keep the VP’s name out of his mouth and apologize.”

He added, “No one will support him, so he’s going to torch his reputation on the way out. Sad to see.”

In an article in The Atlantic published this week, the Minnesota Democrat shared that he doesn’t think Ms. Harris would be the best fit for president if something happened to President Biden.

“I hear from others who know her a lot better than I do that many think she’s not well positioned,” Mr. Phillips said in the interview. “She is not well prepared, doesn’t have the right disposition and the right competencies to execute that office.”

“I think that Americans have made the decision that she’s not,” he said of Ms. Harris.

Mr. Phillips pointed out the vice president’s low approval ratings and how they run worse than those of Mr. Biden, saying “It’s pretty clear that she’s not somebody people have faith in.”

Mr. Phillips did say the interactions he’s had with her have been “thoughtful” and that he’s “enjoyed them.”

The congressman launched his presidential campaign last month. In that announcement, he said, “I think President Biden has done a spectacular job for our country. But it’s not about the past. This is an election about the future.”

A recent poll from 538 shows Mr. Phillips with only 4.1% of support from Democrats, while the president stands at 67.4% and fellow long-shot candidate Marianne Williamson holds 6.4%.

• Mallory Wilson can be reached at mwilson@washingtontimes.com.

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