Category: Dean Phillips

Dean Phillips Leads Call For Reform to Be the First Item on the Agenda in 2019

In letter to Congress, Phillips and other House challengers unite in call for sweeping reform bill to be H.R.1

Excelsior, MN – Dean Phillips today led a coalition of House challengers who are calling on Congress to make a government and electoral reform bill the first item on the agenda for the next Congress in 2019. In a letter to the House of Representatives, coordinated by Phillips and 11 other House candidates, they write:

“Restoring faith in our elections and in the integrity of our elected officials should be a top priority that all members of Congress can agree upon. Without these reforms we will be unable to truly regain the public’s trust or tackle the challenges of our day, like the costs of healthcare and prescription drugs, the opioid epidemic, or building an economy that is strong for working families. For those reasons, these reforms must be sweeping, and they must be bold. They must be the very first item Congress addresses. We must not yield on this demand, the American public is counting on us.”

Key elements of the bill would include: reforming the role of money in politics to ensure more transparency and accountability in our elections, eliminating foreign money from our political system, limiting the undue influence of mega donors and special interests, incentivizing small dollar donors, as well as lobbying reform, ethics reform, redistricting reform, and voting rights protections. Continue reading “Dean Phillips Leads Call For Reform to Be the First Item on the Agenda in 2019”

Dean Phillips Announces Endorsement by Social Security Works

Jon “Bowzer” Bauman Credit: Gage Skidmore via Wikipedia

Social Security advocate, Bowzer of Sha Na Na, travels to Minnesota to join Phillips at endorsement event in Excelsior

Excelsior, MN – Phillips for Congress today announced that Dean Phillips has earned the endorsement of Social Security Works. Jon “Bowzer” Bauman of the band “Sha Na Na” will join Phillips and area seniors at an endorsement event at the Conversation Cottage in Excelsior (478 2nd Street, Excelsior, MN) on Wednesday, October 3 at 9:00 AM.

Social Security Works is an organization that supports candidates who are committed to protecting and strengthening earned benefits like Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid and working to lower the cost of prescription drugs.

Viral “We Found Bigfoot” Ad Gets TV Encore

60 second spot will air on all major networks’ 6:00 PM news broadcasts on Monday

Excelsior, MN – With well over one million views online and accolades from national media outlets and thousands of viewers calling it one of the best ads ever made, Phillips for Congress’s viral “We Found Bigfoot” online video has won a one day encore run on television. A 60-second version of the spot will air on WCCO, KSTP, FOX9, and KARE11’s 6:00 PM news broadcasts on Monday, October 1st.

In the two days following Bigfoot’s release online, Phillips for Congress raised over $86,000 and saw enormous support from individuals hoping to see the memorable ad run on TV.

“As Dean said, when they go low, we go hilarious,” said Zach Rodvold, Campaign Manager for Phillips for Congress. “So while the airwaves are crowded with dishonest attack ads — most of them targeting Dean as part of a coordinated smear campaign — Bigfoot uses a little humor to communicate a serious message. And it’s funny because it’s true: Erik Paulsen is the 6th biggest taker of special interest money in Congress, and spends his time courting his donors while avoiding his constituents at all costs.”

House Candidate Phillips Says We Can Do Better on Health Care

New wave of attack ads shows Democrats on offense, Republicans on defense

Washington (CNN) — The DCCC and the NRCC — each party’s main congressional campaign committee — combined to release more than 20 new ads this week amid the intensifying battle for the House of Representatives, with a range of targets and messages reflecting their opposing strategic priorities in the final month of the midterm elections.

On the Democratic side, the committee is on offense, releasing new attack ads in a slew of races against vulnerable GOP incumbents, and also a key open seat race in New Mexico’s 2nd district. Among those targeted: CO-06, ME-02, VA-10, OH-01, NM-02, NJ-07, IL-13, and KY-06. The DCCC is also going up with their first ads in PA-16, NC-02 and WV-03 this week.

Some of the ads hammer GOP incumbents as out of touch with their constituents, such as the ads against Rep. Steve Chabot (OH-01) — “career politician” — or Rep. Rodney Davis (IL-13) — “being in Congress changes people.” It’s a key message in a range of Democratic pick-up opportunities against vulnerable Republican incumbents, particularly those in districts won by Hillary Clinton in 2016.

View the complete September 29 article by David Wright and Aaron Kessler was posted on the CNN website here. (Good charts)

Dean Phillips to Moderate “Everyone’s Invited Health Policy Issue Forum” with Healthcare Experts

Free educational discussion to be held TODAY, October 1st

Excelsior, MN – Dean Phillips will moderate a free and open-to-the-public panel discussion focused on health policy TODAY, October 1st, at Normandale Community College. Phillips’s campaign for Congress is based on the idea that representation begins with listening, and everyone’s invited join in this solutions-focused conversation with experts of varied beliefs and backgrounds.

Healthcare reform is an issue that dominates conversation on the campaign trail, and is one on which Phillips and his opponent, Congressman Erik Paulsen, differ greatly. Congressman Paulsen has is the sixth largest recipient of special interest money in all of Congress, having accepted more than $1.6 million from drug and insurance interests while voting repeatedly to repeal the Affordable Care Act and gut protections for pre-existing conditions.

Phillips, on the other hand, is a small-business owner who offers health insurance to his full time employees, rejects all contributions from special interests, and believes that we should work to improve the ACA so that no American is one illness away from financial ruin. Continue reading “Dean Phillips to Moderate “Everyone’s Invited Health Policy Issue Forum” with Healthcare Experts”

Grass-roots efforts aim to raise turnout in Third District

Republican U.S. Rep. Erik Paulsen and DFL challenger Dean Phillips at their debate earlier in the campaign. Credit: Glen Stubbe, StarTribune

In the competitive Third District race for Congress, pitting Republican U.S. Rep. Erik Paulsen against Democratic businessman and first-time candidate Dean Phillips, supporters on both sides are turning to grass-roots efforts in hopes of boosting the Nov. 6 turnout — and securing a victory.

At an Eden Prairie house in late August, a group of volunteers organized by progressive activists from Indivisible MN03 gathered over white wine and cheese plates to write out postcards to urge women to vote for Phillips. Indivisible picked out 12,000 women who are under age 35 and voted in the presidential election but not in the 2014 midterm, hoping to encourage like-minded voters to push Phillips to victory.

The group started sending out the postcards in February and will continue peppering the 12,000 voters through October with postcards, hoping the personal handwritten notes will resonate more than a fleeting Facebook post or TV ad. The group is also door-knocking throughout the district.

View the complete September 29 article by Kelly Smith on the StarTribune website here.

Paulsen Continues Dishonest TV Campaign

New ad from Paulsen contains even more falsehoods

Excelsior, MN – After Congressman Paulsen and the special interests supporting his campaign were called out for running false and misleading ads last week, Paulsen’s campaign is doubling down on their dishonest attacks against Dean Phillips. In an effort to distract Minnesotans from his own unpopular votes to repeal the Affordable Care Act and increase the deficit by $1.9 trillion, Congressman Paulsen’s new campaign ad throws a handful of new, deceitful attacks against the wall – and again, none stick.

“Negative ads are one thing,” said Dean Phillips. “But spending millions of dollars to repeatedly and intentionally mislead voters is beneath the dignity of a member of Congress who touts his membership in the House Civility and Respect Caucus. Minnesotans have had enough, and they deserve better. That’s why I’m on a mission to change the culture of corruption caused by big money in our political system.”  

The following is an excerpt from a “Dear Colleague” letter seeking new members of the Congressional Civility & Respect Caucus, of which Paulsen is a “ founding member”: Continue reading “Paulsen Continues Dishonest TV Campaign”