CONCORD, N.H. — A Minnesota member of Congress, Dean Phillips, is looking to run for president. Phillips has met with the chair of the New Hampshire Democratic Party about being on the party’s primary ballot against President Joe Biden. Phillips, who has represented western Minneapolis suburbs for six years, confirmed the meeting to the Minnesota Post. He described it as “a very friendly conversation.” For a place on the New Hampshire Democratic primary ballot, Phillips would need to file by October 27. Age 54, Phillips has been critical of Biden’s age for another term. Biden is 78. If re-elected Biden would serve until he’s 86. Phillips recently resigned from the Democratic Policy and Communications committee, which would have been conflict of interest in challenging Biden. Politically Phillips calls himself a centrist. His voting record on major bills has been 100% with Biden. Even so, he’s an active member of the bipartisan Problem Solver’s Caucus and has embraced some GOP positions. Those include term limits for Congress and more money for community policing. He has said the United States should help “neutralize” Iran if the country indeed is found complicit in last week’s terrorist attack on Israel. He has expressed willingness to cross party lines to support fellow Minnesotan Tom Emmer, a Republican, for House speaker.
Phillips. Positioning himself for a White House run.
Phillips profile
Phillips has limited experience in elected office. He went to Washington in 2019 from the Minnesota Third Congressional District by defeating Republican incumbent Erik Paulsen 55% to 45%. He thus became the first Democrat from the western Minneapolis suburbs in 50 years. His biological father was killed in the Vietnam war, and his widowed mother married into the prominent Minnesota family that owns Phillips Distilling. He was adopted as a Phillips stepson. He earned an advanced degree from the Carlson School of Management at the University of Minnesota. After graduation, he was named chief executive of Philips Distillery. In 2012 he resigned to take over Talento Gelato, another family company. Telento was sold to the British conglomerate Unilever in 2014. Phillips then founded 4 the Twin Cities coffeeshop chain Penny’s.