The recent DNT endorsement of Chip Cravaack, a conservative Republican who enjoys a lot of Tea Party support, made me want to tap the PDD community for information and discussion of the DNT endorsements over the years. The Fargo-based, private company Forum Communications became owner of the DNT in 2006. Since then, the DNT and the many other Forum newspapers overwhelmingly tend to endorse conservatives and Republicans as a bloc.
Remember back in May!?!?! Well, 3,100 miles later, the old guys made it! This photo was taken at the Lincoln Memorial on Wednesday, where organizers from movetoamend.org unfurled a ginormous (20×100 ft.) preamble to the Constitution for people to sign. It was quite a display, both visually and emotionally (I’m pretty proud of my pops). The crowd was receptive and security was … cooperative. Pics from the action made it into USA Today and the Washington Post. Anyway, what a day! If this is inspiring at all, consider signing the motion at movetoamend.org. If you’re curious, here are the rest of the pics from my epic political activism adventure:
It was an emotional crowd at the Congressman Jim Oberstar and challenger Chip Cravaack forum on Tuesday, Oct. 19. A crowd filled the main level of the DECC Auditorium and didn’t heed the requests of forum moderators Dave Orman or Chuck Frederick to keep the event civil.
At the beginning Orman told the crowd that there had been a fist fight in the Skywalk (which this blogger thought was a joke, but apparently not). See more photos and the whole Hillsider blog post here.
Minnesota gubernatorial candidates at the Duluth Chamber of Commerce The Forum event on Sept. 7, which was held at the Duluth Playhouse. From left to right: Tom Horner – Independent, Tom Emmer – Republican and Mark Dayton – DFL. (Photo by Naomi Yaeger-Bishcoff)
In the Hillsider’s October issue, the three gubernatorial candidates were asked:
How do you perceive Duluth’s workforce meeting the required skills for economic recovery from this recession?
Here are their answers:
Meet the candidates and learn about issues that affect you and your community! We will have powerful questions for the candidates of the Senate, District 7a and District 7b races. We will be offering free refreshments too!
Tuesday, Oct. 19 · 6:30pm – 8:30pm
Location: Harbor City International School
332 W. Michigan St., Duluth
Free parking is available at the ramp between 4th and 5th avenues directly west of the school. We’ve got childcare available for those who need it (please make a reservation for your child by calling Anita at 218-428-7232). If you need a ride, we can also help with that! We’re offering free transportation (please call Allan at 218-428-0290 and arrange for your transportation needs).
Have you decided who you will vote for in the race between Melanie Ford and Mark Rubin?
The October issue of The Hillsider is out. We have a candidate questionnaire for several of the candidates running for office this November. Read all the candidates who answered by picking up a paper copy.
Here are links to the St. Louis county attorney candidates’ answers to our most recent questions.
Melanie Ford
Mark Rubin
The questions we posed:
Join us in a “Party for Change” to support Frank Jewell’s campaign for St. Louis County Commissioner. On Thursday, Oct. 7, there will be a silent auction at Zeitgeist from 7-9pm with music from Sarah Thompson and Paula Pedersen. At 9pm we’ll shift over to Luce for a concert featuring DJ Kevin Craig, Shaunna Heckman and Retribution Gospel Choir.
On Friday, Sept. 24, FBI agents raided four homes of anti-war and social justice activists in Minneapolis, the offices of the Twin Cities Anti-War Committee, two homes in Chicago, and others in Michigan and North Carolina.
All of the activists targeted have been involved in legal, open political work against U.S. wars and for solidarity with the people of Palestine and Latin America. None have yet been charged with any crime.
Reports indicate that this raid was more than a year in the making, and it follows on the heels of a U.S. Justice Department investigation revealing that the FBI has been illegally spying on activists in the peace and social justice movements for several years.
Statewide results for Wisconsin races related to Douglas County and Duluth’s neighboring port, the city of Superior:
FEDERAL OFFICES
United States Senator, Republican Party
Ron Johnson — 500,925 | 85%
Dave Westlake — 61,303 | 10%
Stephen M. Finn — 29,005 | 5%
United States Representative, Wisconsin District 7
Democratic Party
Julie M. Lassa — 28,576 | 85%
Don Raihala — 5,016 | 15%
United States Representative, Wisconsin District 7
Republican Party
Sean Duffy — 41,032 | 66%
Dan Mielke — 21,100 | 34%
STATEWIDE OFFICE
Wisconsin Governor, Democratic Party
Tom Barrett — 210,972 | 90%
Tim John — 22,268 | 10%
Wisconsin Governor, Republican Party
Scott Walker — 360,032 | 59%
Mark W. Neumann — 237,870 | 39%
Scott S. Paterick — 16,609 | 3%
Wisconsin Governor, Independent Candidates
Jim Langer — 12 | 67
James James — 6 | 33
(This result is for Douglas County only. No one seems to be tracking this race statewide.)
Wisconsin Lieutenant Governor, Democratic Party
Tom Nelson — 107,029 | 52%
Spencer Coggs — 43,535 | 21%
James L. Schneider — 37,269 | 18%
Henry Sanders — 19,297 | 9%
Wisconsin Lieutenant Governor, Republican Party
Rebecca Kleefisch — 259,318 | 47%
Brett Davis — 139,211 | 25%
Dave Ross — 80,433 | 15%
Robert Gerald Lorge — 52,199 | 10%
Nick Voegeli — 21,082 | 4%
Wisconsin State Treasurer, Democratic Party
Dawn Marie Sass — 129,510 | 67%
Dan Bohrod — 62,761 | 33%
Wisconsin State Treasurer, Republican Party
Kurt W. Schuller — 169,232 | 37%
Scott Feldt — 166,148 | 36%
Jim Sanfilippo — 123,315 | 27%
Do you have a question you would like to ask the candidates? The Hillsider will contact them with questions. Please help give us ideas. You could comment here or you could email me at hillsider @ sundogpress.com. I need your questions by Tuesday, Sept. 14. The Hillsider will run the candidate’s answers in its October issue.
Here are the candidates that we plan to include:
Minnesota Sixth District Judge for Court 11
Mike Cuzzo
Timothy A. Costley
Minnesota State Representative District 7B:
Tony Salls (Independence)
Travis Silvers (Republican) Facebook page
Kerry Gauthier (Democratic-Farmer-Labor)kerryforrep.com
Minnesota State Senator for District 7
Rilla Debot Opelt (Republican)
Roger J. Reinert (DFL)
District 1 County Commissioner
Dennis Fink
Frank Jewell
County Attorney
Melanie Ford
Mark Rubin
Minnesota Governor and Lieutenant Governor
Tom Horner & James A. Mulder (Independence)
Tom Emmer & Annette T. Meeks (Republican)
Mark Dayton & Yvonne Prettner Solon (DFL)
I am looking forward to some unique questions.
First District Commissioner Dennis Fink did not seek the endorsement of AFSCME or the Central Labor Body. The two have combined and have a new name this year but will still offer two endorsements. It seems odd to me that one group would hand out two endorsements under the false precedence of being two groups.
One of the questions on the 2010 House of Representatives State Fair Poll (conducted by Minnesota House Public Information Services) was:
Do you believe liquor stores and automobile dealers should be permitted to open on Sundays?
And the results …
Yes ………… 6,742 | 68%
No ………….. 2,480 | 25%
Undecided …… 668 | 7%
So, were the 25 percent who said no all from Lakeside?
(This really ought to be a series. Link to post #1 here.)
The September issue of The Hillsider features candidates running for District 1 County Commissioner, Dennis Fink and Frank Jewell, answering two questions:
Click on the links below for the answers. The paper issue also contains an encore presentation of questions and answers from candidates for other offices.
By the way, St. Louis County is over 6,000 square miles — larger than three states: Connecticut, Delaware and Rhode Island. It has an abundance of natural resources contributing to mining and lumber industries. Why should people in the core neighborhoods of Duluth be concerned? Read up.
Courtesy of Minnesota Public Radio, here’s audio from today’s debate at the Duluth Playhouse between Tom Emmer, Mark Dayton and Tom Horner.
Brought to you by your local HOTDISH militia*
Deets:
Friday, Sept. 3
4pm Registration
5-7PM Race
Meet at Leif Erickson Park
$5 minimum donation to ride
Prizes for all sorts of fun reasons
An alleycat is a bike race and a scavenger hunt combined – come find out more! Be sure to bring a bike, helmet, backpack and your best costume.
*HOTDISH stands for Hand Over The Decision It Should Be Hers. We are a small grassroots organization mostly made-up of badass feminists who spend our time advocating for reproductive justice in the Northland while educating ourselves and others. We have a small fund that we maintain through our fund-raising efforts to ensure that women of the Northland with lower incomes have access to abortion and other reproductive health care services.
