I continue to monitor the House 7B race, which has become vastly more exciting after last month’s surprise retirement by longtime State Rep. Mike Jaros (DFL-Duluth). Currently there are four DFLers and one Republican running, with the potential for more to jump in before the filing deadline of July 15. A source tells me that it is now unlikely that former mayoral candidate and West Duluth businessman Charlie Bell will jump in the race. Former Mayor Herb Bergson remains an unlikely but imposing potential candidate. And then there are dozens of DFL and labor insiders and citizen leaders who could jump in, but we’ll consider them as they announce, if they announce.
Duluth city councilor Roger Reinert contacted me with some more biographical information after he filed last week (first to file he pointed out, no doubt to curry favor after my “early filers are cool” post of last week). Reinert and Marsh Stenersen remain the only candidates to file as of this morning and I’d have to consider them the front runners. John Derbis is running an insurgent candidate as a UMD student and party activist. He’s a dark horse candidate. And Brandon Clokey says he’s running, too, though he has yet to release an official biography and platform. He’s an unknown at this point.
Here are some notable excerpts from Reinert’s release, which he sent me after I made fun of how he announced at the Lake Superior Zoo. As expected, there was a reason he announced at the zoo:
[Duluth at Large City Councilor and City Council President Roger] Reinert made his announcement two days after running a personal best of 1:38 in the Gary Bjorkland Half Marathon.
“I spent a lot of time in that race thinking about this one,” Reinert said. Reinert said the experiences—and the challenges—he’s faced as a leader in city government are what motivated him to finish one race and start another. “I kept coming back to how badly right now we need people in St. Paul that have had to sit in City Halls across Minnesota and make really hard choices. Unfortunately Governor Pawlenty has chosen to balance the state’s budget deficits on the backs of local government and local property tax payers. This has to stop.”
Reinert said his experience on the Council gives him a unique understanding of how state and local government should be working better together. “It’s time to rebuild the state and local partnership and create a Minnesota Miracle for the 21st Century,” said Reinert. “In order to be a strong state, Minnesota needs strong regional cities like Duluth.”
Reinert made his announcement at the Lake Superior Zoo. He pointed to the zoo as an example of what state and local governments can accomplish when they work together. He also pointed to the zoo as an example of how the partnership is failing. “We’re having to make really difficult budget decisions in Duluth. Things that are ‘nice to have’ like the zoo are having to take a back seat to the ‘must haves’ like fire protection and law enforcement. There are a lot of services and amenities Duluth provides to the entire region that only Duluthians pay for. Our taxpayers can’t sustain that model and without the state as a partner we may have to stop providing some of those services.” Reinert cited the city’s sanitary sewer overflow issue, clean-up assistance for the former US Steel site, and cuts in local government aid as items he would tackle immediately at the Capitol. “Duluthians aren’t looking for handouts. But we do expect the State to partner with us on these major issue.”
Reinert wore his now well-worn running shoes to the announcement to illustrate the work ethic and energy level he would bring to his 7B constituents.
“I’ve put over 500 miles on these shoes this season,” he said. “I’m ready to put a few hundred more in order to take the needs of western Duluth to St. Paul and make sure they are heard. There’s more to Minnesota than just the metro area. I think down there they forget that sometimes.”
In addition to city-specific issues Reinert highlighted support for living wage jobs, quality K-12 and higher education, rebuilding the state’s transportation infrastructure, conserving the northland’s natural resources, and affordable accessible healthcare as his legislative priorities.
Reinert, 37, is completing his fifth year as an at Large member of the Duluth City Council. The West Hillside resident and part-time college teacher was the top vote getter in the 2005 citywide council race, and has twice served as Council President.
As I said before, with a shortened campaign season and no scheduled DFL endorsement planned, the winner of this primary will be the one who works the hardest. Reinert, in calling out the shoes on his feet, appears prepared for just such a battle. Stenersen, Derbis and even Clokey all talked about foot-powered campaigning when they announced, too. This should be a good campaign to watch.
Reinert is by far the worst candidate when it comes to opposing the Duluth School’s Red Plan. He engineered a way to have the City Council evade a vote on the Red Plan and has told both sides that he supports them.
The last person we need to represent us in St. Paul is someone like Reinert who runs with his tail between his legs when it come to important issues like the Red Plan.
The Red Plan is the largest school construction project in Minnesota that used a loophole in state law to levy taxes without a vote; and it doubled the tax levy in Duluth. The citizens of Duluth have overwelmingly opposed it.
Art Johnston
Duluth