List of Candidates for Minnesota’s Third Congressional District Grows
Since 2019, Minnesota’s Third Congressional District has been occupied by Dean Phillips, a Democrat. But last November, Phillips announced he wouldn’t seek re-election in order to make a run for president.
“He’s been a surprising person for the last year or so,” said Hamline Political Science Professor David Schultz.
Schultz says that his decision to challenge President Biden essentially alienated Phillips from the rest of his party.
“With his criticisms of Biden, Governor Walz, Klobuchar and so forth, it would be very, very difficult, if nearly impossible, I would say at this point, if he decided to come back and run for his [House] seat,” Schultz said. “But that’s not going to happen.”
As a result, that district now has a slew of candidates vying to take his place.
Rep. Dean Phillips (D) represents Minnesota’s Third Congressional District.
Taking a run at Congress
On the Democratic side, there’s Democratic National Committee member Ron Harris and current State Senator Kelly Morrison.
On the Republican side, former Hennepin County Commissioner and State Legislator Tad Jude is joined by Blaize Harty, Brad Kohler, Jamie Page and Quentin Whittrock.
“I think there’s so many people vying for it because the fact is, it is an open seat; and an open seat in the House of Representatives is an incredible rarity,” Schultz said.
Currently, the Republicans have a six-seat majority in the U.S. House. And according to Schultz, Dean Phillips’ seat is one of only 30 nationwide that are truly in play, which means it will receive significant national attention.
“I’ll go out on a limb,” Schultz said. “I’m going to suspect we’re going to see $25-$30 million, if not more, spent between the political parties, the candidates and outside groups to try to win this seat.”
For one of those candidates to win what’s now considered a swing district — it had been a Republican stronghold for 50 years before Phillips won the seat in 2018 — Schultz says it will likely come down to issues like abortion, immigration and the economy.
“Finding where the center is, and where the center is on these issues, is going to be key to a victory for any of these candidates,” he said.
Related: U.S. Rep. Phillips Won’t Seek Re-election, Will Focus on Presidential Bid
