Who is Dean Phillips, a Democrat running against President Joe Biden?

President Joe Biden won South Carolina's Democratic primary on Saturday, Feb. 3 but he's not the only Democrat in the running.

Dean Phillips, 54, represents Minnesota’s 3rd congressional district in the U.S. House. Phillips, a moderate with a reputation for reaching across the aisle, launched his presidential campaign in October, telling supporters, "This is a country of longshots.”

The congressman remains in the running after receiving 19 percent of votes in the New Hampshire primary on Jan. 23. With only seven percent of the votes tallied in the Palmetto state, Phillips has only chalked up 1.2 percent of the vote.

Phillips' plans for the presidency include building affordable housing, regulating drug prices, expanding Medicare and more. His daughter is a childhood cancer survivor, who received treatment and is cancer free. "Too many families aren't so lucky," Phillips said in a campaign ad, adding that he supports "Medicare for all, so every family can spend more holidays together.

The moderate Democrat has said addressing the U.S. southern border and immigration will be a key issue in his campaign as he challenges Biden.

Other issues of note:

Climate change

Phillips has warned that without “urgent action” on climate change, humanity’s survival is at risk. He has pushed for the U.S. to expand its role in addressing the crisis on the global stage. Despite his challenging Biden, he has supported the Biden administration’s policies on the environment, including its goal of reducing U.S. greenhouse gas emissions by approximately half by 2030. Phillips has also called for restoring the EPA’s ability to regulate state’s carbon, a practice overturned by the Supreme Court in 2022, and has advocated for carbon pricing, or the practice of charging polluters for their gas emissions.

Crime & policing

Phillips has said public safety is among the fundamental responsibilities of government and has championed law enforcement throughout his three terms in Congress. Phillips has been a vocal proponent of improving officer recruitment efforts. He introduced legislation in 2022 that would have allocated $100 million toward recruitment. Phillips has described himself as a responsible gun owner, but he has also supported numerous gun violence prevention measures, including an assault weapon ban and enhanced background check requirements.

Education

Phillips supported Biden’s efforts to cancel student debt for millions of borrowers but argued the administration’s plans treated a symptom of a larger problem in higher education. Instead, he has called for a service-based approach to canceling student debt to help people entering “careers for the public good,” such as teaching, nursing and law enforcement. For all other student borrowers, he’s argued for zero-interest loans. In Congress, Phillips has said one of his top priorities is ensuring public schools have adequate resources. He has supported federal funding for universal pre-K programs and mentoring programs for new teachers.

Economy

As the former co-owner and founder of Talenti Gelato, Phillips often touts his entrepreneurial expertise while campaigning on what he describes as a pro-business and pro-worker economic platform. On the campaign trail, he has advocated for policies that “raise the foundation” in the U.S., including reforms that would allow working Americans to take tax deductions for childcare, eldercare and grocery costs. A member of the Small Business Committee in Congress, Phillips played a pivotal role in the passage of the Paycheck Protection Program Flexibility Act, which provided funding to businesses for payroll during the pandemic.

Foreign policy

Phillips, a member of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, aligns closely with Biden on foreign policy and America’s priorities around the world. Phillips has said the U.S. must continue to support Israel’s war effort and has advocated for a two-state solution to address the concerns of Israelis and Palestinians. He has criticized Israeli President Benjamin Netanyahu, arguing that he should be replaced. Phillips has been a vocal supporter of increased U.S. military aid for Ukraine in its war against Russia.

Health care

Phillips believes ensuring access to affordable, high-quality healthcare is the “most impactful way to elevate every American.” In Congress, he has supported policies to protect and expand on the coverage provided by the Affordable Care Act and sponsored legislation that would have allowed Americans to buy into their state’s Medicare program. He also backed the Inflation Reduction Act, which allowed Medicare and Medicaid to negotiate prescription drug prices with pharmaceutical companies and sought to lower out-of-pocket costs for patients.

Immigration

Phillips has described the handling of the migrant crisis at the southern border as “a fundamental failure of leadership,” by multiple presidential administrations, including the work of the Biden administration. He has said he believes in a holistic approach to enhancing border security that combines barriers with technology, human resources and satellites to prevent illegal border crossings. The three-term representative also supports a pathway to citizenship for the children of undocumented immigrants.

Reproductive rights

Phillips identifies as “fiercely” in favor of abortion rights for Americans, telling supporters, “There’s no role for government whatsoever to tell women what they can do.” A member of the Pro-Choice Caucus in Congress, the Minnesota lawmaker has supported legislation to codify Roe v. Wade, the landmark Supreme Court decision that protected abortion rights across the country until it was overturned in 2022. Phillips has also called for protecting women seeking reproductive health care across state lines.

This article originally appeared on Montgomery Advertiser: Democrat Dean Phillips continues presidential campaign against Biden