Biden’s Minnesota trip serves as a show of political force against primary challenger Dean Phillips

By WILL WEISSERT and CHRIS MEGERIAN
Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden is headed to Minnesota to visit a family-run farm south of Minneapolis and hold a fundraiser featuring many of the state’s top Democrats. It’s a show of political force on the home turf of his new 2024 primary challenger, Rep. Dean Phillips. The White House and Biden’s reelection campaign say Wednesday’s trip was planned before Phillips joined the race. Biden will use his trip to promote administration efforts to bolster the economy and infrastructure improvements in rural America. Still, the trip coming so soon after Phillips’ announcement reads strategically like an effort to wipe out any would-be support before the congressman’s bid gets off the ground.