Tag Archives: Tina Smith

Politics, Twin Cities

Blogging the Ballot: West St. Paul 2018 Voter’s Guide

2 Comments

For the past several years I’ve been blogging about local elections. I’ve tried to stay quiet about broader politics and avoid stupid comments, but this year I couldn’t help myself. Well, I hope I avoided most stupid comments, but I couldn’t stay quiet about what was happening in our democracy.

So this year, instead of just blogging about West St. Paul’s races, I found myself blogging about the entire ballot. From city council to U.S. Senator, I covered it all. 18 posts in 18 days (plus a lot of posts before that).

Let me offer an obvious disclaimer: This is my opinion. I’m biased. Take it for what it’s worth. Do your own research, make up your own mind. Then vote. Please vote. Continue reading Blogging the Ballot: West St. Paul 2018 Voter’s Guide →

Politics

2018 Minnesota Senate Races: Klobuchar & Smith

Leave a comment

There are two U.S. Senate seats on the ballot for Minnesota this year, thanks to the resignation of Al Franken.

Incumbent Amy Klobuchar is up for reelection and is facing state representative Jim Newberger (and Green Party candidate Paula Overby, whom I’d ignore except she served as a spoiler in the Second Congressional race in 2016).

Governor Mark Dayton appointed his Lieutenant Governor Tina Smith to fill Franken’s seat, so Smith is sort of the incumbent. She’s facing state Senator Karin Housley to see who will fill the remaining two years in Franken’s term (so yeah, we have to do it again in 2020). (And careful with your Googling, there’s a fake “KarenHousleymn.com” site that’s an anti-Housley site—it’s an obvious [slogan: “Unprepared, uninterested on the issues that matter,”] but kinda dirty trick paid for by Smith’s campaign.)

In some ways these races are very much split down the party lines. But there are some issues that stood out to me. Continue reading 2018 Minnesota Senate Races: Klobuchar & Smith →

Politics, Twin Cities

Are National Politicians Talking About West St. Paul?

Leave a comment

Maybe I’m self-absorbed, but when I hear some of our U.S. Senators talking, it sounds like they’re talking about West St. Paul. Obviously they’re not, but I hear it. Anybody else?

Minnesota Senator Tina Smith tweeted last week about President Trump’s visit to Minnesota:

“Hope he doesn’t get too comfortable. We may be ‘nice’ in Minnesota but when people like him attack us and our values, we rise up, we fight hard, and we don’t back down.”

She could be talking about West St. Paul with our sexism controversy (started by a mayoral candidate who changed his story), another candidate who is a bully, and a string of harassment. Continue reading Are National Politicians Talking About West St. Paul? →