In late October, Dean Phillips became the last major candidate to enter the 2024 race, saying Democrats must nominate someone other than President Joe Biden or risk losing to former President Donald Trump.
A month later, Phillips, 54, announced he would not be seeking reelection to the swing suburban district he has represented in western Minnesota since 2018.
Phillips was 6 months old when his father, Artie Peffer, died fighting in the Vietnam War. His mother married Eddie Phillips, heir to a lucrative liquor distilling company and son of Pauline Phillips, the advice columnist Dear Abby. Eddie Phillips adopted Dean when he was 3.
Dean Phillips took over the liquor business for a time and started successful companies of his own that sell gelato and coffee.
He is one of the richest members of Congress.
Before this race, Phillips rose up the seniority level in the U.S. House as co-chair of the policy and communications committee, a post he quit just before launching this campaign.
Since Biden took office in 2021, Phillips voted 100% of the time with the president’s stated views on issues, which made him more liberal than average among his colleagues.
In his first term, Phillips was ranked as 30th-most bipartisan member in the 435-person chamber.
While Phillips initially focused on Biden’s age as a disqualifier for a second term, in recent weeks he has broadened his message to call for liberal policies that Biden has failed to support, including Medicare for All, a guaranteed federal income and consideration of federal reparations for Black Americans because of slavery.
+++
Experience: U.S. House (2019-present)
Residence: Wayzata, Minnesota
Age: 55
Family: Married, two children
Education: B.A. Brown University; MBA, University of Minnesota
Welcome to our 2024 Voters First guide to your New Hampshire first-in-the-nation primary. The next president will have no shortage of challenges to contend with — worldwide and at home. We know New Hampshire voters will take their role seriously and, having done their research, will select the candidate they feel best capable of fulfilling this most important role.
Hyperbole always surrounds elections. 2024 is no different. You have no doubt heard that “Democracy is on the ballot.” Well, democracy isn’t on the ballot, democracy is the ballot. Every election gives us choices.
Media, both mainstream and social, have been telling us for years now that the 2024 presidential matchup is a foregone conclusion. Don’t believe them. 2024 is an open field with dozens of candidates across both major party ballots. If your chosen candidate is one of our last two presidents, then by all means cast your ballot for them. But don’t think it’s a done deal. The New Hampshire primary has often been the beginning of major surprises and upsets. Take a look through the pages of this section, do your research, and cast the ballot of your choosing.
Voting is one of our great rights and responsibilities. We know most Granite Staters take this responsibility seriously. Our readers certainly do.
A hot mic moment from a candidate’s withdrawal speech made headlines recently. His assessment of Nikki Haley: “She’s going to get smoked.” The candidate was close in his assessment, but missed the mark. As the saying goes, where there’s smoke there’s fire. There is plenty of smoke around Nikki Haley because she is catching fire here in the Granite State.
