Dean Phillips' improbable presidential campaign faces reality of New Hampshire political traditions

LACONIA, N.H. — Dean Phillips has little time to persuade New Hampshire voters to dump President Joe Biden before the novelty of the Minnesota congressman's insurgent primary campaign fades. If it hasn't already.

Voters in this storied presidential proving ground have a way of humbling candidates, especially relative political unknowns who launch campaigns that nobody in particular is clamoring to see.

"I don't know what his values are. I don't know where his background is. I don't know anything about him yet," said Julie Hughes, a retired executive assistant, who chatted with Phillips at a restaurant in Concord.

The 54-year-old Phillips took his case to another part of New Hampshire on Saturday, the second day of his inaugural swing, determined to do the nearly politically impossible — beat an incumbent president in his own party.

"The fundamental issue is the simple fact that Joe Biden will lose the next election if the status quo remains in place," Phillips said in an interview. "And by the way, if it's not Donald Trump, he'll lose by even a bigger margin."

What's not clear is exactly how Phillips would do better. His brand of moderate, problem-solving politics and enthusiastic campaign style has served him well back in his suburban Minnesota district. In New Hampshire, where questioning powerful politicians has as much novelty as going to a Saturday matinee, Phillips is already alienating the kind of people he would normally need most.

"I just don't understand why he's running especially because I don't think it helps anyone," said Kathy Sullivan, a former Democratic National Committee member from New Hampshire who supports Biden.

Phillips is energetically launching himself into the state's presidential process, painting his moonshot run as personally invigorating. In the early going, his approach seems more scattered than strategic, putting whatever substance he's offering within an overarching call for change and speaking for the exhausted majority.

"Typically, a president runs on a policy platform, 90% of which they could never achieve and they know it, it's true," Phillips said. "I'm running on a platform of repair because if we don't do that, we can't address any of those other policy issues."

His campaign bus is filled with family mementos and photos, centering his life story in his appeal. On the first day of his campaign, media members took plenty of seats. By the next, those numbers had thinned out considerably.

Normally when a major candidate files for president, the path outside the New Hampshire Secretary of State's office is lined with fervent, cheering local supporters. For Phillips, it was more a mix of energetic allies from Minnesota and some curious onlookers.

At his speech outside the State House moments later, television cameras, friends and curious onlookers appeared to outnumber the New Hampshire voters on hand to hear him. The congressman's team had spent time beforehand giving out flyers encouraging people to attend the event.

"He's unknown; he's from the Midwest," said Laura Miller, a voter who works for a nonprofit and expressed an openness to Phillips. "Starting this late and being relatively unknown is a challenge."

New Hampshire has long hosted the first-in-the-nation presidential primary. That was threatened after Biden finished a lowly fifth in the state's 2020 primary; national Democratic leaders later agreed to reshuffle the early state calendar and knock New Hampshire from its perch. That put Democrats in the state in the awkward position of defending a candidate who supports taking away one of their most important traditions.

"Why are Democrats supporting Biden? Out of a sense of obligation, not out of passion," said Fergus Cullen, a former New Hampshire Republican Party chair and Dover City Council member. "He's not going to be on the ballot [in the New Hampshire primary] and that is a risk because it creates an opening for somebody, almost anybody, to fill a vacuum."

New Hampshire officials are sticking by the state law meant to ensure the state has the first presidential primary, which would defy the Democratic National Committee (DNC). Biden is running for re-election but did not file for the state's primary, with his campaign citing the need to follow DNC rules.

With the 80-year-old Biden expected to be just a write-in option, next year's New Hampshire primary is not poised to make much impact with only Phillips and lesser-known candidates, including author Marianne Williamson, on the Democratic ballot. Growing disenchantment with Biden among voters is likely the only path for Phillips to make a tangible impact.

"We need a new face and a new vision and I think that Dean has the promise of being that," said Tom Finn, a dentist.

Challenging the president could be a career-ending move for Phillips, though the Minnesotan has tried to make clear he'll back Biden if the incumbent becomes the party's nominee.

Ken Martin, chair of the Minnesota DFL, didn't mince words about Phillips in an interview. He called the congressman's challenge disappointing to those who believed in him.

"We're frustrated to say the least, disappointed that this once-rising star in the Democratic Party has decided to squander his political capital on a wild goose chase," Martin said.

On the same day Phillips filed for the New Hampshire primary, Minnesota Democratic Gov. Tim Walz led a fundraising email for Biden's re-election campaign that included what seemed to be a swipe at Phillips.

"You know, I have to say this about Minnesota: It's a great state, full of great people, Walz said in the email. "And sometimes they do crazy things. Like setting the world record for most basketballs spun at the same time (that's true) or winning the most WNBA championships (go Lynx!). And sometimes … they make political sideshows for themselves. But that's for another email."

The heart of Phillips' hastily put-together campaign is New Hampshire. He spent the first two days of his run immersing himself in retail politics, greeting children dressed in Halloween costumes while they trick-or-treated Friday in front of businesses in Manchester before spending Saturday talking to people in Laconia.

"It's great that he's chosen to run," Lindsay Murphy, a child and family therapist, said after meeting Phillips.

When he kicked off his campaign in Concord, Phillips signed a guest book in the New Hampshire State House visitors center right under Trump's name. When the former president signed, the Republican presidential candidate wrote, "I love New Hampshire."

Phillips added below: "So do I."

Sitting on the campaign bus Saturday, Phillips called for generational change and talked about needing to restore faith in government.

"I would argue not since the Abraham Lincoln, and not since the Johnson-Nixon, era has the country needed a repairman-in-chief ... more than right now," he said.

Toward the front of the bus, there was a mantra Phillips has proudly displayed in his congressional office.

It carried a consistent and simple, slightly salty message.

"SILENCE is better than bullshit."

Star Tribune journalists Ryan Faircloth and Glen Stubbe contributed to this report.