Thursday, March 27, 2014

Jim Read, candidate for the DFL Sixth Congressional District caucus endorsement gets a personal endorsement from a local legislator.


Jerry Newton

Newton is someone whose judgment I trust and he trusts Jim Read.

NOTE: This was provided via an email, so no link is to be given:

March 20, 2014

Dear Eric,

As a Minnesota legislator whose district includes part of the 6th Congressional District, I am pleased to support Jim Read for DFL endorsement in the race to replace Michele Bachmann, who is retiring.

I am honored to represent District 37A, including Blaine and parts of Anoka County, in the Minnesota House of Representatives. I teach at Anoka-Ramsey Community College, so Jim and I are both educators. In my classes I have used Jim's book, Doorstep Democracy: Face to Face Politics in the Heartland, which describes his earlier door knocking campaign for the Minnesota Legislature.

Jim and I both believe in the value of face to face politics. Jim understands that in this important election year, our DFL candidates and volunteers must campaign door to door and neighbor to neighbor, talking with voters and listening to their concerns. Jim plans to put together a large-scale doorknocking campaign for the Minnesota 6th, with your help.

Jim also realizes how essential it is to bring new voters and volunteers, including younger voters, into our campaigns and our party. He has already demonstrated this in his campaign for DFL endorsement.

Jim believes that our DFL candidates and volunteers should work together and support one another at all levels -- Legislature, Governor, U.S. House and U.S. Senate. For this reason he will ask for DFL endorsement, and he will honor the party's endorsement. I too will give my full support to the candidate endorsed at the 6th District DFL Convention on May 3.

I believe that Jim Read is the best candidate contending for this seat and I encourage you to give him your support.

Rep. Jerry Newton, House District 37A

Read is not the only DFL candidate seeking caucus endorsement for CD6, but he is the one I believe to be best. Should another candidate end up representing the DFL, with Tom Emmer likely being the Republican clone of Bachmann; no matter who, the DFL person will be best. Sivarajah represents the most sound of the GOP candidates, hence she likely will not end up the general election candidate from those folks. She could make things a closer choice than if Emmer reaches the general election. It is for them to choose, certainly; but for everyone to consider when it comes time to fill out a ballot.

Tom Emmer? Seriously? That has to be a joke, yes?