Phillip J. Maloof is a businessman who served as a Democratic member of the New Mexico Senate. Phillip J. Maloof was born May 16, 1967. He has a bachelor's degree from the University of New Mexico. He was first elected to the New Mexico Senate in 1994. In 1998, he was the chairman of the Senate's Democratic caucus. Maloof was the Democratic candidate for New Mexico's 1st congressional district in a 1998 special election and in that year's general election. He put a then-large amount of money into his own candidacy, making it one of the most expensive races in the country. He lost both elections to Republican candidate Heather Wilson. He is a member of the Maloof family.