Democratic presidential candidate Phillips announces he won’t run for reelection in House
Democratic presidential candidate and four-term Congressman Tim Phillips announced on Wednesday that he will not seek reelection to his House seat in 2020.
“After much thought and with a heavy heart, I must reluctantly announce that I will not seek reelection to my seat in Congress next year,” Phillips said in a tweet. “This is an incredibly difficult decision for me to make, but it is ultimately the right thing for me and my family.”
Phillips, who has represented Georgia’s 13th Congressional District since 2013, is the first House Democrat to drop out of the 2020 congressional race. He had recently launched his own bid for the White House, hoping to become the first Georgian to serve as President of the United States.
Phillips’ decision to give up his House seat suggests that he may be focusing more heavily on his presidential ambitions, as his campaign appears to have achieved some early traction in the crowded 2020 field.
Phillips emphasized that he will do everything he can to ensure that his district elects a successor that shares his progressive values. He also thanked his constituents and the people of Georgia for the support they have shown him throughout his service in Congress.
“I plan to do everything I can to ensure the 13th district selects someone with the same progressive values as me to replace me in Congress,” Phillips said. “It humbles me to think of the people who have entrusted me to represent them. Thank you for the faith you have put in me.”