Jewish businessman and philanthropist Dean Phillips is running for Congress in Minnesota. Image by Facebook

By Aiden Pink May 9, 2017

A Minnesota Jewish businessman and philanthropist will soon launch a Congressional campaign to unseat a Republican congressman who voted to repeal Obamacare.

Dean Phillips told the Star Tribune newspaper on Tuesday that he will launch a campaign in the coming weeks to challenge Rep. Erik Paulsen, who has held his seat in the Minneapolis suburbs for eight years despite the district having voted for Democrats in the last three presidential elections.

Phillips told TV station WCCO that Paulsen’s vote in favor of the American Health Care Act was a major factor in his decision.

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Phillips, who was heavily recruited by the Democratic party, is the scion of a prominent Jewish family that made its fortune in the liquor industry. In addition to expanding the family business, Phillips went on to run the gelato company Talenti and open a popular local coffee shop that voluntarily adopted a $15 hourly minimum wage.

The Jay and Rose Phillips Family Foundation, which Dean Phillips co-chairs, has given hundreds of thousands of dollars over the years to local and national Jewish groups.

Phillips is also the grandson of Pauline Friedman Phillips, the advice columnist better known as “Dear Abby.”

Contact Aiden Pink at pink@forward.com or on Twitter at @aidenpink.

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