Dean phillips presidential campaign will launch on Friday is such a longshot that some of his colleagues call it a vanity project. Other top Democrats privately deem it a mid-life crisis.
It may also be the clearest distillation of the undercurrent of discontent with Joe Biden among Democratic Party voters. However, it’s not likely to pose a serious threat to the president.
Democratic Party
Phillips, a millionaire businessman, views his bid differently. In private conversations, the Minnesota Democrat stressed voters need a generational alternative to the 80-year-old president. A half-dozen people who have spoken directly to him say he has sincerely described feeling akin to an obligation to support Biden while also expressing concern about Biden’s ability to beat former President Donald Trump a second time. He sees a problem that everyone sees, but no one talks about,” said one of those people, who wished to remain anonymous to discuss private matters. They described Phillips as “frustrated” by it all.
There was a lot of earnestness in his presentation. A person who spoke with Phillips said the lawmaker framed it as a revelation he had when he was in Vietnam visiting where his father was killed in a helicopter crash during the Vietnam War. But I don’t think he understands the institutional forces he will face.
He doesn’t understand how the system is designed to work against him. It does not occur to him that he will be up against entrenched interests. Even though many Democrats privately share some of his fears, no one is willing to line up behind him.
Phillips told these people he wanted to recruit another candidate for this job publicly. A “moderate governor” was called for in August. According to a third person who spoke directly with Phillips, he raised this concern, identified if there was space for another candidate, got someone else in, gracefully left, and resumed his position in Congress.
He missed his chance to land on this plane,” the person said.
congressional campaign
Dean phillips presidential campaign will launch on Friday. On Thursday night, Phillips formally filed paperwork with the Federal Elections Commission to run for office. Phillips will likely run a campaign similar to his congressional campaign in 2018.
During that campaign, Phillips largely ignored the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee’s advice, instead relying on his extensive marketing background. Using a 1960 International Harvester milk truck, he campaigned in 32 cities and towns across his suburban Minneapolis district. Instead of attacking his Republican opponent directly, he argued for spending less on TV and more on digital ads. His approach infuriated many Democrats in Washington. Even so, he won, flipping a seat a Democrat hadn’t won in decades.
Dean Phillips for President
Phillips appears to be dusting off that playbook already. A “Dean Phillips for President” bus, seen recently driving around New Hampshire by two operatives in the state, is tagged with a 2018 slogan: “Everyone’s invited.” He is also returning with the “government repair truck” he used in 2018.
According to a person who spoke directly with the representative, he wants to expand his 2018 campaign to New Hampshire, if not nationwide.
There’s a big difference between presidential and congressional primaries, especially if you want to unseat an incumbent. There are also other significant hurdles to overcome.
The former Republican operative helping Phillips, in part, is a bombastic former Republican operative who has already failed to make the ballot in Nevada, the second presidential nominating state. His campaign in New Hampshire will begin two weeks from now when he has to introduce himself to the state party chair.
Additionally, he faces Biden, who has $91 million in campaign cash and the entire party apparatus behind him.
One source familiar with Biden’s thinking says the campaign will only briefly engage the Phillips campaign. However, if they do, the source noted that they would portray him as wealthy and out-of-touch while highlighting his 100 percent voting record for Biden.
Ron Harris, a member of the DNC executive committee, has already emerged as his primary opponent.. “Everyone here is behind Biden and is working to win his reelection.”
presidential campaign
In 2008, Schmidt was a top strategist for Sen. John McCain’s presidential campaign and is now working with Phillips, which several Democrats called a “red flag.” Schmidt advised Howard Schultz, another wealthy businessman who considered running for president as an Independent, in 2020. Phillips has also hired Ondine Fortune as a media buyer, while a Tennessee ad-maker led by Bill Fletcher obtained permits for Phillips’ Friday event. The early operation also includes several staffers from Phillips’ congressional campaign.
“I’ve got respect for Phillips that he may decide to get in the race, knowing what price he might pay,” Shurtleff continued. “By challenging the president, Dean could lose his political career.” Dean phillips presidential campaign gave the challenge for joe bidden.
That question about Phillips’ future stumps Minnesota Democrats, many of whom expected him to run for statewide office one day. Instead, Democrats are lining up to run for his House seat. Among his primary opponents is Ron Harris, a member of the DNC executive committee.
“I believe every other Democratic member of Congress in Minnesota supports Biden, so it doesn’t help when your home team is on board with the incumbent president while you’re trying to mount a challenge,” said Mike Erlandson, a former chair of Minnesota’s Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party. “I don’t know that the congressman is particularly concerned about what other people in political places of power think. However, this probably doesn’t help him with a statewide office run at home.
Read more