Opinion: Unraveling the Enigma of Dean Phillips' 'Moon Shot' Presidential Bid

Editor’s Arick Wierson is an Emmy Award-winning television producer and former senior media adviser to former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg. He lives in Minnesota and advises corporate clients on communications strategies in the United States and across the world. Follow him on X @ArickWierson. Read more opinion on CNN.

One of the biggest head-scratchers in national politics as of late is the insurgent candidacy of Minnesota Rep. Dean Phillips for the Democratic presidential nomination, an idea he had been publicly toying with for several months. Phillips formally joined the race by filing paperwork for “Dean 24, Inc.” with the Federal Election Commission Thursday night and on Friday he registered for the New Hampshire Democratic primary, a contest in which President Joe Biden will not appear on the ballot.

New Hampshire has defiantly resisted losing its “first-in-the-nation” primary status amid a shakeup in which the Democratic National Committee reordered the presidential nominating calendar last year. The move has not only kept Biden off the ballot in New Hampshire but also created an opening for Phillips to pick up an early primary victory.

And despite the surfeit of disparaging headline descriptors that characterize Phillip’s bid as “long-shot,” “moon shot” or “the end of his political career,” there may be more to Phillips’ strategy than initially meets the eye.

Over the years, I have gotten to know Phillips fairly well. Not only do I reside in his congressional district — in fact, we lived in the same neighborhood just west of the Twin Cities for several years — but I even chronicled some of the more folksy and refreshing aspects of his initial congressional campaign in 2018 for The Observer, in particular, his use of a symbolic 1960 International Harvester “Government Repair Truck” as an effective campaign prop. And although Phillips is a relatively new face for most Americans, his backstory certainly seems made for Hollywood, and, as Friday’s announcement suggests, perhaps the national political stage as well.

Unveiling Dean Phillips: From Tragedy to Triumph in Politics

Phillips' journey into the political arena is marked by a poignant beginning. He never met his biological father, Artie Pfefer, an army helicopter pilot who lost his life in Vietnam when Phillips was a mere six months old. Despite this early tragedy, fate took a favorable turn when, just a few years later, his mother Deedee married Edward “Eddie” Phillips, the proprietor of the historic Phillips Distilling Company—one of America’s oldest distilleries. Eddie adopted and raised Dean, bestowing upon him the last name he carries to this day.

As a young scion, Phillips pursued education at the esteemed Blake School, counting among its alumni notable Minnesota politicians such as former U.S. Sens. Al Franken and Mark Dayton. His academic journey continued with an undergraduate degree from Brown University and an MBA from the University of Minnesota. Surprisingly, instead of an immediate foray into politics, Phillips dedicated the majority of his career to the family business. Later, he ventured into the creation and expansion of a gelato brand known as Talenti, ultimately selling the company to Unilever in 2014.

With family wealth and the success of the Talenti exit, Phillips has amassed an estimated fortune of close to $80 million, as reported by Fortune. Notably, it was only in 2018, after achieving significant success in the business realm, that he chose to enter the political arena. Sensing an opportunity in Minnesota’s purplish and suburban third congressional district, which had remained in moderate Republican control for about six decades, Phillips took a daring leap. Recognizing the dissatisfaction among voters in the district after the initial years of Donald Trump’s presidency, he perceived vulnerability in the seat. This gamble, despite his lack of prior political experience, proved successful.

However, the perplexing turn of events comes with Phillips' recent decision to challenge incumbent President Joe Biden within his own party. This move raises questions about the motivations behind challenging a sitting president, especially one facing an uncertain road ahead and the looming specter of a potential face-off with Trump—a figure viewed by many as a real existential threat to democracy and the rule of law. As insiders and citizens alike grapple with understanding the rationale behind Phillips' bold move, it becomes evident that his story is one of tragedy, triumph, and a willingness to navigate uncharted political waters.

Unveiling Dean Phillips: From Tragedy to Triumph in Politics

Phillips' journey into the political arena is marked by a poignant beginning. He never met his biological father, Artie Pfefer, an army helicopter pilot who lost his life in Vietnam when Phillips was a mere six months old. Despite this early tragedy, fate took a favorable turn when, just a few years later, his mother Deedee married Edward “Eddie” Phillips, the proprietor of the historic Phillips Distilling Company—one of America’s oldest distilleries. Eddie adopted and raised Dean, bestowing upon him the last name he carries to this day.

As a young scion, Phillips pursued education at the esteemed Blake School, counting among its alumni notable Minnesota politicians such as former U.S. Sens. Al Franken and Mark Dayton. His academic journey continued with an undergraduate degree from Brown University and an MBA from the University of Minnesota. Surprisingly, instead of an immediate foray into politics, Phillips dedicated the majority of his career to the family business. Later, he ventured into the creation and expansion of a gelato brand known as Talenti, ultimately selling the company to Unilever in 2014.

With family wealth and the success of the Talenti exit, Phillips has amassed an estimated fortune of close to $80 million, as reported by Fortune. Notably, it was only in 2018, after achieving significant success in the business realm, that he chose to enter the political arena. Sensing an opportunity in Minnesota’s purplish and suburban third congressional district, which had remained in moderate Republican control for about six decades, Phillips took a daring leap. Recognizing the dissatisfaction among voters in the district after the initial years of Donald Trump’s presidency, he perceived vulnerability in the seat. This gamble, despite his lack of prior political experience, proved successful.

However, the perplexing turn of events comes with Phillips' recent decision to challenge incumbent President Joe Biden within his own party. This move raises questions about the motivations behind challenging a sitting president, especially one facing an uncertain road ahead and the looming specter of a potential face-off with Trump—a figure viewed by many as a real existential threat to democracy and the rule of law. As insiders and citizens alike grapple with understanding the rationale behind Phillips' bold move, it becomes evident that his story is one of tragedy, triumph, and a willingness to navigate uncharted political waters.

Unveiling Dean Phillips: From Tragedy to Triumph in Politics

Phillips' journey into the political arena is marked by a poignant beginning. He never met his biological father, Artie Pfefer, an army helicopter pilot who lost his life in Vietnam when Phillips was a mere six months old. Despite this early tragedy, fate took a favorable turn when, just a few years later, his mother Deedee married Edward “Eddie” Phillips, the proprietor of the historic Phillips Distilling Company—one of America’s oldest distilleries. Eddie adopted and raised Dean, bestowing upon him the last name he carries to this day.

As a young scion, Phillips pursued education at the esteemed Blake School, counting among its alumni notable Minnesota politicians such as former U.S. Sens. Al Franken and Mark Dayton. His academic journey continued with an undergraduate degree from Brown University and an MBA from the University of Minnesota. Surprisingly, instead of an immediate foray into politics, Phillips dedicated the majority of his career to the family business. Later, he ventured into the creation and expansion of a gelato brand known as Talenti, ultimately selling the company to Unilever in 2014.

With family wealth and the success of the Talenti exit, Phillips has amassed an estimated fortune of close to $80 million, as reported by Fortune. Notably, it was only in 2018, after achieving significant success in the business realm, that he chose to enter the political arena. Sensing an opportunity in Minnesota’s purplish and suburban third congressional district, which had remained in moderate Republican control for about six decades, Phillips took a daring leap. Recognizing the dissatisfaction among voters in the district after the initial years of Donald Trump’s presidency, he perceived vulnerability in the seat. This gamble, despite his lack of prior political experience, proved successful.

However, the perplexing turn of events comes with Phillips' recent decision to challenge incumbent President Joe Biden within his own party. This move raises questions about the motivations behind challenging a sitting president, especially one facing an uncertain road ahead and the looming specter of a potential face-off with Trump—a figure viewed by many as a real existential threat to democracy and the rule of law. As insiders and citizens alike grapple with understanding the rationale behind Phillips' bold move, it becomes evident that his story is one of tragedy, triumph, and a willingness to navigate uncharted political waters.

In conclusion, Dean Phillips' journey from personal tragedy to triumph in the political arena is a testament to resilience and strategic thinking. From the early loss of his biological father in the Vietnam War to being embraced by the Phillips family, owners of a historic distillery, Phillips's life took unexpected turns that shaped his character.

His entrance into politics, marked by a successful challenge for a congressional seat, showcased his ability to read the political landscape and capitalize on opportunities. However, the recent decision to challenge President Joe Biden within his own party adds a layer of complexity to his narrative. As observers grapple with the motivations behind this bold move, Phillips emerges as a political figure unafraid of taking risks.

With a background in business success, substantial personal wealth, and a knack for seizing political opportunities, Phillips presents an intriguing yet enigmatic force in the ever-evolving landscape of American politics. The unfolding chapters of his political story will undoubtedly continue to captivate, leaving us to ponder the depths of his ambitions and the potential impact of his unorthodox path on the broader political stage.