Category: Dean Phillips

Feisty debate kicks off Paulsen-Phillips race for Congress

The following article by Mark Zdechlik was posted on the MPRNews.org website August 21, 2018:

Rep. Paulsen responds to a question during a debate with DFL congressional candidate Dean Phillips at the DoubleTree Park Place in Minneapolis, Minn. on Aug. 21, 2018. Credit: Lacey Young, MPR News

Republican U.S. Rep. Erik Paulsen and his DFL challenger Dean Phillips tangled over taxes, health care and campaign finance reform in their first debate Tuesday.

Paulsen said Phillips would derail economic growth by voting to repeal the Republican tax cut law. Paulsen argued the tax cut was needed and that it’s helping ordinary Minnesotans.

“Weak growth, which was what we were seeing under the last eight years, was not acceptable,” he said. “Sure, people like Dean Phillips and those who are well off will do fine under those circumstances. But the rest of us, we won’t do well in an economic depression, and that was only just around the corner.”

View the complete article here.

Rep. Erik Paulsen and Dean Phillips face off in first debate for Third District seat

The following article by Jessie Van Berkel was posted on the Star Tribune website August 21, 2018:

The debate at a St. Louis Park hotel quickly grew testy, with both candidates attacking the other almost immediately.

DFL challenger Dean Phillips and Rep. Erik Paulsen greeted each other at the end of Tuesday’s 3rd Congressional District debate in St. Louis Park. Credit: Glen Stubbe, Star Tribune

U.S. Rep. Erik Paulsen and DFL challenger Dean Phillips clashed over health care, tax reform, immigration and other issues, trading barbs Tuesday in the first debate of their increasingly heated fight for a Minnesota House seat.

The debate at a St. Louis Park hotel quickly grew testy, with both candidates attacking the other almost immediately. Paulsen, a Republican, referenced Phillips’ personal wealth when he said that people who are not millionaires should be able to run for Congress, while Phillips pressed Paulsen to reject campaign donations from interest groups and hit him for voting for most of President Donald Trump’s agenda.

“I’ll stand up to my own party,” Paulsen said, whether that’s protecting the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, opposing “misguided tariffs” or pushing for a vote on immigration legislation.

View the complete article here.

Dean Phillips Releases First TV Ad: “Coffee and Conversation”

Ad highlights Phillips’s experience as a business owner, and his mission to get people talking again

Excelsior, MN – Today Dean Phillips’s campaign for Congress released its first TV ad, titled “Coffee and Conversation.” The ad highlights Dean’s background as a business owner who takes care of his employees, including at Penny’s Coffee where they voluntarily pay a $15 per hour minimum wage. It also features Dean’s Government Repair Truck, a 1960 International Harvester milk truck that he drives around Minnesota’s Third District in an effort to get people talking again.

“I approach public policy the same way I’ve helped build businesses – by soliciting ideas from everybody, by being innovative, collaborative and always finding ways to do more with less,” said Dean.

“And since representation begins with listening, I’ve spent the past year and a half traveling the district in my Government Repair Truck, having thousands of conversations with people of all perspectives and backgrounds. From those conversations, I know there is so much more that unites us than divides us. We must listen to people again — not the special interests that have corrupted Congress.”

Transcript of “Coffee and Conversation”:

“I love coffee and conversation. I’m Dean Phillips, and I started Penny’s Coffee to build a better business. Where we pay a livable wage, and where people have a place to just talk. I think we need more of that in Congress, so this is my Government Repair Truck. I’m running for Congress because if we are ever going to address things like the cost of college and healthcare in this country, we’ve got to start listening to people, and not the special interests. I approve this message because change starts with coffee and conversation. And everyone’s invited.”

The ad can be seen here.

 

We want voter-centered representation

To the Editor:

Since my first vote in 1972, I’ve witnessed money increasingly erode our democracy. This year I’m relieved to see so much excitement for Dean Phillips. His decision to refuse PAC or special interest money recently made the New York Times. Phillips knows we must restrain the use of “big money” (set loose by the Citizens United decision) in order to bring back balance and accountability to our government.

The Minnesota Way Pledge proposed by Phillips included the People’s Pledge, which works to limit negative, personal attack ads. Incumbent Paulsen suggested this in 2016; in 2018 he’s no longer interested. By agreeing, he could have spared Minnesota much mudslinging by outside groups. Instead, Paulsen chose to keep his big money contributions.

Constituents are eager for a candidate who will be responsive to voters because that candidate chose to fund his campaign the Minnesota Way – no money from PACs, Federal lobbyists or Congress members. Many Third District folks support Dean Phillips with their small dollar contributions. They also proudly march with Phillips at local parades as well as phone bank, door knock and more. Continue reading “We want voter-centered representation”

MN03 Paulsen-Phillips TwinWest Debate

If you weren’t able to attend the above debate August 21, the UpTake.org has posted a replay on their website.  Here’s a link:  http://theuptake.org/2018/08/21/mn-cd3-debate-erik-paulsen-and-dean-phillips/

 

Projections Show Most Minnesota Congressional Races Up For Grabs

The following article was posted on the KSTP website August 20, 2018:

The FiveThirtyEight, which partners with ABC News, recently released their Election 2018 forecast for the US House, which shows a majority of Minnesota’s Congressional Districts are competitive.

“Minnesota certainly for its size, has a ridiculously disproportionate number of competitive seats,” said Nathaniel Rakich, FiveThirtyEight Election Analyst. “I don’t know of any other state that has half of its districts, fully half of its districts competitive.”

KSTP 2018 Election Coverage

The FiveThirtyEight offers users three different options for viewing the projections from a lite version with only polling data, or options with fundraising, and a more in-depth model that includes projections from other non-partisan election analysts.

View the complete article here.

Erik Paulsen Accepts Dean Phillips’s Invitation To Participate in Open-to-the-Public Voter Forums

Demand for public appearances by both candidates grows as Phillips appears at well-attended forums

Excelsior, MN – On August 10th, and again on on August 16th, Dean Phillips invited Congressman Erik Paulsen to join him at free, open to the public, voter forums in Coon Rapids and Eden Prairie. After 11 days of silence, Congressman Paulsen finally accepted the invitation to three forums, but with severe restrictions on participation, and did not offer dates on which he’d make himself available.

“Representation begins with listening,” said Dean Phillips. “Congressman Paulsen’s commitment to join me in answering questions from the public three times before Election Day is encouraging. It is important that these events are open and accessible to all who wish to attend – no tickets, just conversation.” Continue reading “Erik Paulsen Accepts Dean Phillips’s Invitation To Participate in Open-to-the-Public Voter Forums”

Dean Phillips Announces First “Everyone’s Invited! Issue Forum” With Focus on Getting Special Interest Money Out of Politics

Free Educational Forum to be Held on Monday, August 27th in Edina

Excelsior, MN — A day after Dean Phillips again challenged Congressman Erik Paulsen to join him in signing The Minnesota Way Pledge in a live debate where Congressman Paulsen again refused to do so, Phillips announced plans to host and moderate a free and open-to-the-public issue forum focused on money in politics in Edina on Monday, August 27th.

The educational forum will feature national leaders on campaign finance reform, including Tiffany Muller, President of End Citizens United; U.S. Representative John Sarbanes; and former State Representative Ryan Winkler, who authored the Minnesota DISCLOSE Act.

Here are the event details: Continue reading “Dean Phillips Announces First “Everyone’s Invited! Issue Forum” With Focus on Getting Special Interest Money Out of Politics”

25 Districts That Could Decide The House In 2018

THe following article by Nathaniel Rakich was posted on the FiveThirtyEight.com website August 16, 2018:

One of my favorite FiveThirtyEight concepts is the “tipping-point state,” first introduced by Nate more than 10 years ago. A tipping-point state is a literal swing state: the state that swings the result of a presidential election from one candidate to another. For example, if you put all 50 states in order by the margin that separated Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton in 2016, from most Republican to most Democratic, then went down that list and began counting up the electoral votes for Trump, Wisconsin1 was the state that gave Trump his 270th electoral vote — and therefore the White House. Continue reading “25 Districts That Could Decide The House In 2018”

Ahead of TwinWest MN03 Debate: Dean Phillips Announces He’s Received Contributions From 54,000 Individuals

Phillips renews invitation for Congressman Paulsen to sign The Minnesota Way Pledge

Minnesota’s Third District Congressional Candidate Dean Phillips announced today that more than 54,000 individuals have given to his campaign. The news came hours before his only scheduled debate with his opponent, despite Phillips’s request for more public forums.

More than half of Phillips’s donors are Minnesotans, and the vast majority contributed less than $20. Phillips has garnered national attention for his principled stance on getting special interest money out of politics.

“Tens of thousands of people have come together to make a statement: It’s time to get special interest money out of politics,” said Dean Phillips. “Simply put, Erik Paulsen’s votes have been bought and sold. He is no longer accountable to his constituents. Instead, he is beholden to the PACs and wealthy special interests that fund his campaigns.” Continue reading “Ahead of TwinWest MN03 Debate: Dean Phillips Announces He’s Received Contributions From 54,000 Individuals”