Biography

Dean Phillips is a businessman, civic leader, and former U.S. Representative for Minnesota's Third Congressional District. Born in Saint Paul, Minnesota, in 1969, he was adopted by Eddie Phillips, heir to the Phillips Distilling Company, after his biological father, Artie Pfefer, was killed in the Vietnam War. Raised in Edina, Minnesota, Phillips attended The Blake School and later graduated from Brown University in 1991. He earned his MBA from the University of Minnesota's Carlson School of Business. Phillips led his family's business, Phillips Distilling Company, and played a significant role in expanding Talenti Gelato into a leading ice cream brand. He also founded Penny's Coffee, a small business in the Twin Cities. In Congress, Phillips focused on restoring Americans' faith in government, advocating for bipartisan collaboration, and reducing the influence of special interest money in politics. He served as Vice Ranking Member of the House Small Business Committee and Ranking Member of the House Foreign Affairs Middle East, Northern Africa, and Central Asia Subcommittee. Phillips was recognized for his bipartisan efforts, ranking 13th out of 435 members of Congress by the nonpartisan Lugar Center. He was also named a Fiscal Hero by the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget and received the Jefferson-Hamilton Award for Bipartisanship from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce in the 116th and 117th Congresses.

Education and Political Experience

• Education:

  • Bachelor's degree from Brown University
  • MBA from the University of Minnesota's Carlson School of Business

• Political Experience:

  • Elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2018, representing Minnesota's Third Congressional District
  • Served as Vice Ranking Member of the House Small Business Committee
  • Served as Ranking Member of the House Foreign Affairs Middle East, Northern Africa, and Central Asia Subcommittee
  • Co-authored the Paycheck Protection Program Flexibility Act, signed into law in 2020
  • Co-sponsored the TRUST in Congress Act to ban stock trading by lawmakers
  • Co-sponsored the Medicare for All Act in 2023
  • Co-sponsored the Liberian Refugee Immigration Fairness Act
  • Met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in 2022 to discuss support during the Russian invasion
  • Advocated for a two-state solution in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict
  • Received the Bipartisan Policy Center's Bipartisan Legislative Action Award in 2021
  • Served as a superdelegate to the 2024 Democratic National Convention
  • Announced a presidential campaign in 2023, challenging President Biden in the Democratic primary
  • Withdrew from the presidential race in 2024 and endorsed Kamala Harris