Dean Phillips is currently a serving United States House of Representatives member. A moderate Democrat, Phillips was elected to the House from the 3rd District of Minnesota. The district is based in the Twin Cities region.
Phillips has become a vocal proponent of a 'new generation' rising to political leadership in the United States. A recent that did largely come to pass on the Democratic side in the U.S. House. But Phillips could be looking to do more.
Considering a 2024 run for president of the United States
Dean Phillips is thinking of running for president.
Meaning he would take on the monumental task of toppling incumbent President Joe Biden in the Democratic primary. But evidently, Phillips would only do so under particular circumstances. One is if Biden's public approval seems to take a steep dive. Another is if the president experiences a significant health issue.
The matter of Biden's age has been cited as a concern for a number of voters. It should be noted that the current Republican front-runner, ex-President Donald Trump, is roughly the same age.
Phillips says others have approached and encouraged him to jump in the race. He is slated to be meeting with key donors to discuss his potential viability and fundraising possibilities.
Phillips was first elected to the House in 2018, defeating Republican incumbent Erik Paulsen by a hefty margin.
Paulsen was the chairman of the Congressional Joint Economic Committee at the time. In 2020 and 2022, Phillips was re-elected, each time also in a dominant fashion.
He is, at present, a member of the U.S. House Committees on Small Business and on Foreign Affairs. For the former, he is the vice-ranking member. And for the latter, he's the ranking member of its Middle East, North Africa, and Central Asia Subcommittee.
His father died when he was a baby
Dean Phillips was born in Saint Paul, Minnesota, and raised in nearby Edina. His parents were Artie and CeeCee Pfefer. When Dean was less than a year old, his father died while serving in the Vietnam War.
CeeCee eventually re-married to Eddie Phillips. The young Dean took on the Phillips surname, the heir to the family business.
That being Phillips Distilling Company, which he was later CEO and president of for many years. Through his adoptive father, Dean became the grandson and nephew of famed advice columnists Pauline and Jeanne Phillips.
Dean Phillips would also become involved in other business ventures, including co-owning the Talenti brand of gelato for a time before selling it to Unilever.
Phillips is a graduate of Brown University and the Carlson School of Management of the University of Minnesota.
