Democrat Dean Phillips drops out of 2024 presidential race

• Rep. Dean Phillips (D-Minn.) has dropped out of the 2024 Democratic presidential primary race.
• Phillips' exit comes hours after GOP candidate Nikki Haley dropped out of the Republican field, clearing the way for a likely Biden-Trump rematch in November.
• Phillips presented himself to voters as a younger alternative to President Joe Biden, 81, with a campaign platform that mirrored the president's own.

Democratic Rep. Dean Phillips, Minn., has dropped out of the 2024 presidential race and endorsed President Joe Biden.

"Americans were demanding an alternative, and democracy demands options. But it is clear that alternative is not me," Phillips wrote on X Wednesday. "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' exit from the Democratic field came hours after GOP candidate Nikki Haley announced her own decision to suspend her presidential bid, effectively cementing the widely predicted November rematch between President Joe Biden and twice-impeached former President Donald Trump.

Phillips' announcement whittles down an already uncompetitive Democratic primary.

On Super Tuesday, Biden racked up wins in state after state, though he lost the U.S. territory of American Samoa to little-known Democrat Jason Palmer. Biden's campaign has been in general election mode for weeks, kicking into high gear after the president swept New Hampshire and South Carolina.

Phillips hinted at an announcement on Super Tuesday, cryptically noting that he would be "making decisions over the coming days."

"As the only candidate not losing to Donald Trump in any poll, I'm grateful for the beautifully orchestrated outpouring of wishes to end my mission to