For the second time in two weeks, Democratic presidential candidate Rep. Dean Phillips, D-Minn., is voicing outrage over being left off a state’s primary ballot. He might soon challenge the decisions.

The Phillips campaign sent an email to reporters Thursday complaining that the North Carolina Democratic Party’s primary ballot will only include incumbent President Joe Biden. Last week, Phillips blasted Florida Democrats for doing the same. 

“It is tragic to witness fundamental American democracy under attack not just from far-right MAGA Republicans, but the very establishment of our own Democratic Party, of which I have been a passionate supporter my entire adult life,” Phillips said in a statement. 

“In the past week, two states’ Democratic Parties have unilaterally canceled their competitive 2024 primary elections and declared one candidate the victor -- without allowing Democrats to select their choice. 

Semafor reported Thursday that Phillips plans to file challenges with the Democratic National Committee and several state parties next week. The Phillips campaign told Spectrum News the report is accurate. Phillips had already said he was consulting with attorneys about the possibility of filing a lawsuit against the Florida Democratic Party.

The Florida and North Carolina Democratic Parties did not respond to emails from Spectrum News on Friday seeking comment.

In a statement to other media outlets last week, the Florida Democratic Party said it followed its standard process. It said the state executive committee voted at its Oct. 27-29 convention to put Biden’s name on the ballot and that no other names were put forward. Phillips announced his candidacy on Oct. 27.

A DNC spokesperson said last week the Phillips campaign did not take the national party up on its offers to help it navigate the ballot access process. The campaign and the party have disputed the timeline of the offer.

Phillips issued a strongly worded statement last week, saying: “Americans would expect the absence of democracy in Tehran, not Tallahassee. The intentional disenfranchisement of voters runs counter to everything for which our Democratic Party and country stand. Our mission as Democrats is to defeat authoritarians, not become them.”

Nikki Fried, chairwoman of the Florida Democratic Party, said she was “dismayed” by Phillips’ “conspiratorial and inappropriate comments comparing the state of Florida to the Iranian regime.”

“This is unbecoming of someone running for higher office,” she said in a statement to multiple news organizations. 

Phillips argues that, by including only Biden on the ballot, the Florida Democratic Party is violating one of its rules that the state’s delegates at the national convention “be allocated in a fashion that fairly reflects the expressed presidential preference or uncommitted status of the primary voters.”

In joining the race for the White House, Phillips cited polling showing tepid support, even from Democrats, for Biden. A CNN poll in September found that 67% of Democratic and Democratic-leaning voters want the party to nominate someone other than Biden. Other polls have yielded similar results.

An Emerson College poll published this week had Biden with 63% support from Democrats, followed by author, activist and spiritual leader Marianne Williamson at 5% and Phillips at 2%. Twenty-eight percent of voters said they are undecided. 

The Phillips campaign said the Minnesota congressman is “on pace” to appear on the primary ballots in 45 states.