Democratic congressman who ran against Biden citing 'physical decline' defends his decision: 'Vindication'

"If what I feel now is vindication, it's awfully unsatisfying," Phillips said. "I felt vindicated the day I announced my campaign, because I knew this was not an opinion. This was a fact. The fact was, he was not in a position to win. The fact was his approval numbers were historically low. The fact was his physical decline was real. And the only vindication I cared about was my own, and I'm saddened that I'm vindicated. I would have much rather traded that vindication for success, and that's why I'm so utterly disappointed in many of my colleagues and our party."

Phillips told Politico that following President-elect Donald Trump's victory over Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic Party needs a "comprehensive turnaround." 

"A party that consists of multiple silos and campaign committees and outside groups cannot strategically do its job, and that means leadership," Phillips said. 

"And in my presidential campaign, I regret that I wasn't able to generate a platform to really wake people up to this nightmare into which we sleepwalked," he said. 

Fox News' Paul Steinhauser, Elizabeth Elkind and Matteo Cina contributed to this report.