DFL Endorsement

Last Thursday evening DFL Senate District 55 held an endorsing convention at the Ramsey County Library to consider candidates for endorsement in the Maplewood mayor and council races.

Only two of the candidates for council were participating: Kathleen Juenemann and James Llanes. Due to the fact that only two were seeking the endorsements and there were two endorsements to award the 50 delegates moved to set aside the rules of procedure and affirm both Kathy and Jim by voice vote. All but one person in the room voiced their vote to endorse them.

Both Diana Longrie and myself presented ourselves for the endorsement for mayor. We each made a two minute opening statement and then there was ten minutes of questions which had been submitted by the delegates. Each candidate responded to each question with a one minute answer. The fifty delegates then voted by written ballot for their choice to receive the endorsement.

The vote was 47 votes for me and 3 for Diana.

As I have written in the past I am excited to be able to go before different groups and present my ideas and positions on issues to see if they believe that I am best suited for the job. It is no secret that Maplewood is a DFL leaning city and that my base beliefs follow the DFL side of the political spectrum, so I am happy to accept their endorsement. I am hopeful that some of the business oriented groups will do some endorsements. I believe that by comparing candidates' views and positions on Maplewood, mine will be seen as the approach that best represents business interests.

As of this date I have been endorsed in this campaign by;

American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees- Council 5

Democratic-Farmer Labor Party

Maplewood Voters Coalition