St. Olaf professor weighs in on Phillips after taking students to New Hampshire primaries
Democratic challenger U.S. Rep. Dean Phillips speaks to supporters during a campaign rally on Saturday in Nashua, New Hampshire. Phillips, a House Democrat for Minnesota, is challenging President Biden in the Democratic primary race.
Brandon Bell | Getty Images
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Democratic presidential challenger Dean Phillips is continuing his long-shot campaign after he lost New Hampshire’s primary election Tuesday night to President Joe Biden. Biden’s name did not appear on the ballot, but he won nonetheless with write-ins.
Phillips got about twenty percent of the vote in New Hampshire compared to Biden’s nearly fifty-four percent. But he said he isn’t letting that defeat keep him down just yet. He’s moving his campaign down to South Carolina.
Dan Hofrenning, a St. Olaf college professor and 16 students are in New Hampshire right now to learn about the primaries and participate in internships for the campaigns of Biden and Phillips, as well as Republican candidates Donald Trump and Nikki Haley.
He joined MPR News Cathy Wurzer to talk about the primary.
Use the audio player above to listen to the full conversation.
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Audio transcript
CATHY WURZER: As I mentioned in the newscast, Democratic presidential challenger Dean Phillips is continuing his long shot campaign after he lost New Hampshire's primary election last night to President Joe Biden. Biden's name didn't appear on the ballot, but he won nonetheless with write-ins. Phillips got about 20% of the vote in New Hampshire compared to Biden's nearly 54%. But Phillips said he's not letting that defeat keep him down just yet. He's moving his campaign to South Carolina.
DEAN PHILLIPS: Spread the word. Put something on social media. Call your friends, call your family, say, you know what? This unknown Congressman from Minnesota came here 10 weeks ago and just got 21% of the vote.
[CHEERING]
I love you all. Let's do it, everybody.
CATHY WURZER: A St. Olaf college professor and 16 students are in New Hampshire right now to learn about the primaries and participate in internships for the campaigns of Biden and Phillips, as well as Republican candidates Donald Trump and Nikki Haley. Professor Dan Hofrenning is on the line right now from New Hampshire to talk about the primary. Professor Hofrenning, always a pleasure.
DAN HOFRENNING: Thank you, Cathy.
CATHY WURZER: Wow. I want to know what your students are thinking. Let's start with the Phillips campaign. As you heard in that clip from him, he sounds pretty excited that he garnered about 20% of the New Hampshire vote. What about that number for Phillips?
DAN HOFRENNING: Well, I did have four students working for Phillips, and they had a very good experience. And Dean Phillips, in a lot of ways, ran a strong campaign. He had ads that were ever-present, and he also put forth a real strong effort in the kind of retail politics that New Hampshire is really known for in its first-in-the-nation primary.
You could walk down the streets of Manchester or go to other small towns and just bump into Dean Phillips multiple times. That's the kind of ethos of this primary. And in Dean Phillips' terms, he went from 0% to 20%. And if you're marketing a product, that's wildly successful in the commercial marketplace. I'm not sure it's successful in a primary election or the race for the Democratic nomination.
CATHY WURZER: What did your students who were working for the Phillips campaign, or even those who are with you there in New Hampshire-- Dean Phillips, of course, is making much of the president's age. They're young folks. What do they think of that argument?
DAN HOFRENNING: Well, I got to say, among college students, there isn't high levels of enthusiasm for Joe Biden. I think the Biden vote is decidedly older. Now, whether they'll come around in November, I would guess they probably will. They might follow the course of someone like AOC or Bernie Sanders, who are, in a lot of ways, more progressive than Joe Biden. But they've concluded that he's still the best candidate.
CATHY WURZER: By the way, before I move on to some of the other candidates, many thought that Phillips might drop out after this loss. But he's making it clear he's going to press on. What might it take for him to finally get out of the race?
DAN HOFRENNING: Well, I suppose another low result in a state like South Carolina. Probably, at the end of the day, he'll decide that he doesn't want to spend any more of his own money. He's spent a considerable amount, and his donor base is probably drying up.
CATHY WURZER: Say, what are you-- sure, go ahead.
DAN HOFRENNING: Successful candidates who have challenged incumbent presidents have typically gotten more than 35% or 40%.
CATHY WURZER: And, of course, we're looking at that 20% out in New Hampshire for Dean Phillips. Say, what did your students think about working for Donald Trump and Nikki Haley? What did they learn last night?
DAN HOFRENNING: Well, in some ways, I think the Donald Trump campaign was, perhaps, a little bit lower than they had hoped or expected. But yet, it's still a double-digit victory. And it looks like they'll be going on to more favorable terrain in subsequent states.
So they're enthused about his prospects. Haley got 44%. That's, of course, more than Eugene McCarthy got against LBJ in 1968. And that was deemed successful. So I think both of them are enthused in different ways.
CATHY WURZER: So I mentioned 16 of the students were interning on the campaigns for those candidates, and this is their first primary that they've experienced. When you're working on a campaign, there's a ton of energy and a lot to do. What did they think-- did they like their taste of politics?
DAN HOFRENNING: I think they did, though politics is not for the faint of heart. There's a lot of heavy lifting, a lot of hard labor. When you're just getting into campaigns, you do a lot of phone calling, canvassing, putting up lawn signs. So it's a little bit like running a marathon.
You're not exhilarated every step of the way, but my students, I think, are in it for the long haul. They've had a good experience.
CATHY WURZER: Are they going down to South Carolina?
DAN HOFRENNING: No. Our academic calendar prevents that. So they'll be heading back to St. Olaf. I'm sure some of them will work in the upcoming Minnesota primary.
CATHY WURZER: Which should be interesting too. Professor, I appreciate it. Thank you so much, and safe travels back home.
DAN HOFRENNING: My pleasure, Cathy. Thank you.
CATHY WURZER: That was St. Olaf professor Dan Hofrenning. By the way, make sure to tune in to All Things Considered this afternoon. Tom Crann will have a live interview with Congressman Dean Phillips.
DEAN PHILLIPS: Spread the word. Put something on social media. Call your friends, call your family, say, you know what? This unknown Congressman from Minnesota came here 10 weeks ago and just got 21% of the vote.
[CHEERING]
I love you all. Let's do it, everybody.
CATHY WURZER: A St. Olaf college professor and 16 students are in New Hampshire right now to learn about the primaries and participate in internships for the campaigns of Biden and Phillips, as well as Republican candidates Donald Trump and Nikki Haley. Professor Dan Hofrenning is on the line right now from New Hampshire to talk about the primary. Professor Hofrenning, always a pleasure.
DAN HOFRENNING: Thank you, Cathy.
CATHY WURZER: Wow. I want to know what your students are thinking. Let's start with the Phillips campaign. As you heard in that clip from him, he sounds pretty excited that he garnered about 20% of the New Hampshire vote. What about that number for Phillips?
DAN HOFRENNING: Well, I did have four students working for Phillips, and they had a very good experience. And Dean Phillips, in a lot of ways, ran a strong campaign. He had ads that were ever-present, and he also put forth a real strong effort in the kind of retail politics that New Hampshire is really known for in its first-in-the-nation primary.
You could walk down the streets of Manchester or go to other small towns and just bump into Dean Phillips multiple times. That's the kind of ethos of this primary. And in Dean Phillips' terms, he went from 0% to 20%. And if you're marketing a product, that's wildly successful in the commercial marketplace. I'm not sure it's successful in a primary election or the race for the Democratic nomination.
CATHY WURZER: What did your students who were working for the Phillips campaign, or even those who are with you there in New Hampshire-- Dean Phillips, of course, is making much of the president's age. They're young folks. What do they think of that argument?
DAN HOFRENNING: Well, I got to say, among college students, there isn't high levels of enthusiasm for Joe Biden. I think the Biden vote is decidedly older. Now, whether they'll come around in November, I would guess they probably will. They might follow the course of someone like AOC or Bernie Sanders, who are, in a lot of ways, more progressive than Joe Biden. But they've concluded that he's still the best candidate.
CATHY WURZER: By the way, before I move on to some of the other candidates, many thought that Phillips might drop out after this loss. But he's making it clear he's going to press on. What might it take for him to finally get out of the race?
DAN HOFRENNING: Well, I suppose another low result in a state like South Carolina. Probably, at the end of the day, he'll decide that he doesn't want to spend any more of his own money. He's spent a considerable amount, and his donor base is probably drying up.
CATHY WURZER: Say, what are you-- sure, go ahead.
DAN HOFRENNING: Successful candidates who have challenged incumbent presidents have typically gotten more than 35% or 40%.
CATHY WURZER: And, of course, we're looking at that 20% out in New Hampshire for Dean Phillips. Say, what did your students think about working for Donald Trump and Nikki Haley? What did they learn last night?
DAN HOFRENNING: Well, in some ways, I think the Donald Trump campaign was, perhaps, a little bit lower than they had hoped or expected. But yet, it's still a double-digit victory. And it looks like they'll be going on to more favorable terrain in subsequent states.
So they're enthused about his prospects. Haley got 44%. That's, of course, more than Eugene McCarthy got against LBJ in 1968. And that was deemed successful. So I think both of them are enthused in different ways.
CATHY WURZER: So I mentioned 16 of the students were interning on the campaigns for those candidates, and this is their first primary that they've experienced. When you're working on a campaign, there's a ton of energy and a lot to do. What did they think-- did they like their taste of politics?
DAN HOFRENNING: I think they did, though politics is not for the faint of heart. There's a lot of heavy lifting, a lot of hard labor. When you're just getting into campaigns, you do a lot of phone calling, canvassing, putting up lawn signs. So it's a little bit like running a marathon.
You're not exhilarated every step of the way, but my students, I think, are in it for the long haul. They've had a good experience.
CATHY WURZER: Are they going down to South Carolina?
DAN HOFRENNING: No. Our academic calendar prevents that. So they'll be heading back to St. Olaf. I'm sure some of them will work in the upcoming Minnesota primary.
CATHY WURZER: Which should be interesting too. Professor, I appreciate it. Thank you so much, and safe travels back home.
DAN HOFRENNING: My pleasure, Cathy. Thank you.
CATHY WURZER: That was St. Olaf professor Dan Hofrenning. By the way, make sure to tune in to All Things Considered this afternoon. Tom Crann will have a live interview with Congressman Dean Phillips.
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