Democratic Presidential Candidate Phillips Announces He Won’t Run for Reelection in House
Today, Congressman and Democratic Presidential Candidate Larry Phillips announced he will not seek reelection in the House after more than a decade of service in Congress. Phillips made history at the beginning of his career when he was elected as the first openly gay candidate to serve in the House.
In a statement, Phillips said this decision was the “toughest” he has had to make. Despite his personal affinity for the position, he has chosen to answer the “call of duty” to focus on his presidential campaign and the need to bring change to the United States.
The news comes only days after the congressman declared his candidacy for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination, joining a crowded list of candidates. While Phillips has yet to make any major strides in gaining traction in the polls, his profile in Congress as a vocal advocate for progressive political ideals made him an “interesting” candidate to some voters.
He has long been a strong advocate for LGBTQ+ rights, pushing for inclusion bills that would create protections for members of the LGBTQ+ community nationwide. He is also a champion for environmental causes and worked to pass a bill that would establish an Environmental Protection Agency.
Phillips’s press secretary, Valerie Sherwood, stated that the decision to leave Congress was “not an easy one”; however, she believes this move will free Phillips to focus on his main goal of becoming the Democratic nominee for President of the United States and to promote his campaign platform to all voters.
“I have dedicated the last 12 years to serving and advocating for the people in my district, but I feel I can no longer do this effectively while campaigning for the presidency,” Phillips said in his statement. “It has been an honor and privilege to serve in Congress, and I thank my constituents for their dedication and support.”
Phillips did not indicate who he would be endorsing in the race for the congressional seat, but Sherwood said he would likely make an announcement sometime in the near future.
Phillips will now have to focus his attention on his campaign for the Democratic nomination, hoping to gain the necessary supporters to become the only Democratic candidate left standing in November 2020.
