Minnesota Congressman Dean Phillips, a Democrat, has announced his candidacy for the 2024 presidential election, challenging President Biden for the party’s nomination. In a launch video posted on social media, Phillips expressed his excitement to “put our country back together again” and emphasized the need to use differences to strengthen the nation. Phillips, a 54-year-old millionaire businessman and co-founder of a gelato company, is relatively unknown to most Americans but has gained recognition within his congressional district in suburban Minneapolis.
Phillips, who will officially declare his candidacy in New Hampshire, the state that holds the first primary, faces an uphill battle in his primary bid against President Biden. However, his entry into the race adds another dynamic to the upcoming election.
Here are five things to know about Dean Phillips:
1. Family Background: Phillips experienced early tragedy when his father, Artie Pfefer, was killed in action in the Vietnam War when he was just six months old. He and his mother moved in with his great-grandparents, and he spent the next three years of his life with them. In 1972, his mother married Eddie Phillips, and Dean became an adopted heir of Phillips Distilling Company, the family business known for producing the country’s first brand of schnapps.
2. Business Success: Phillips joined the family distilling company as a young adult and played a significant role in its growth. He later purchased the importing rights for the popular Belvedere brand of vodka, further expanding the company’s success. After leaving the family business following the passing of his adoptive father, Phillips joined a small gelato business and helped transform it into one of America’s most popular and successful gelato brands.
3. Political Career: In 2018, Phillips ran for the House of Representatives for the first time and achieved victory against six-term Republican Rep. Erik Paulsen during a wave election that saw Democrats regain the majority. He became the first Democrat to win the Minnesota seat in nearly six decades. Phillips comfortably won re-election in 2020 and again in the most recent election.
4. Wealth: Phillips is one of the wealthiest members of Congress, with a net worth estimated at over $120 million. When he first ran for the House in 2018, he disclosed $77 million in assets.
Although Phillips faces a challenging path to secure the Democratic nomination for the 2024 presidential election, his entry into the race adds another dimension to the political landscape. As the campaign progresses, it will be interesting to see how Phillips’ background as a successful businessman and his commitment to unity resonate with voters across the country.
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