In divided St. Cloud, challengers hope to flip House seats
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Control of the Minnesota Legislature is up for grabs in next month’s election, and the outcome of two St. Cloud-area races for the Minnesota House could help determine which party is in charge of the state Capitol.
While many legislative districts in Minnesota are either solidly Republican or DFL, in the St. Cloud area, voters are evenly split. Races for the two House seats that represent the region are among the most competitive in the state.
“In many parts of the country, districts are safely blue or red, but in St Cloud, I don’t think either district can be characterized that way,” said King Banaian, an economics professor at St. Cloud State University and a former Republican state representative.
He knows something about close elections. In 2010, he won by just 13 votes.
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As the region's population has grown, redistricting has shifted the political boundaries, making the districts even more competitive, which Banaian thinks is a positive.
“Contested elections are things we’re supposed to value, because that encourages an exchange of ideas and encourages both sides when they’re in the Legislature to be a little more cooperative, willing to make compromises and choices that reflect their district,” he said.
The GOP needs to flip four seats to win control of the Minnesota House. All 134 seats are on the ballot in the Nov. 5 election, but the outcome likely will come down to a few swing districts, including the two St. Cloud seats.
In District 14B, state Rep. Dan Wolgamott, a DFLer, is seeking his fourth term in the House. He touts his public service record and ability to work with colleagues across the aisle on bipartisan issues.
“All that work over all the years pays off in the trust that I’ve got with my district,” he said.
Wolgamott is facing a challenge from Republican Sue Ek, communications director for an Oklahoma-based nonprofit called Natural Family Planning Outreach.
Ek said Wolgamott's liberal voting record with his party on issues such as abortion, taxes and spending doesn't match the values of his district.
“We need more balance in the Legislature, so that all voices can be heard,” Ek said.
On abortion, she said she believes all life should be protected from conception until natural death. But Ek also said voters aren’t bringing up the issue as she’s campaigning.
“People in central Minnesota are mostly concerned about economics,” she said. “Hardly any other issue comes up. They're concerned about not having enough money, and the higher price of groceries and gas.”
One complicating factor for Wolgamott is his arrest last year for DWI. He pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge and apologized to his constituents, saying he learned from his mistake. Ek said she’s not making the DWI a campaign issue.
If he’s reelected, Wolgamott said he plans to focus on public safety, including hiring of new officers and the retention of officers nearing retirement age. He cited his endorsement by the Minnesota Police and Peace Officers Association.
Ek said if she wins, her goal is to lower taxes and give parents more choice in their children’s education, including vouchers for those who attend private schools.
Ek previously ran for the state House in a special election in 2005, but her name was removed from the ballot over questions about whether she lived in the district full time. Ek called it a “non-issue” and said she’s been a full-time St. Cloud resident for many years, and is active in the community.
The race for St. Cloud's other House district, 14A, is also expected to be tight. Republican Bernie Perryman is seeking her second term. She's being challenged by DFLer Abdi Daisane, a leader in St. Cloud's Somali American community.
Both districts have a history of too-close-to-call finishes. Two years ago, Perryman defeated her DFL opponent by 199 votes.
Perryman, a business owner, also said she hopes to bring more balance to the state Capitol, upsetting the DFL’s “trifecta” in state government.
“I love to say I want to get back into the Legislature to make good policies for our people, and slow systems down,” she said.
Perryman is critical of the DFL on issues of taxes and spending, saying residents of her district are struggling financially.
“What I’m hearing at the doors is that we need affordability,” she said.
Daisane is a small business owner who came to St. Cloud 15 years ago as a refugee from Somalia. He’s hoping to flip the District 14A seat and provide representation to St. Cloud’s growing Somali-American community.
Daisane said he’s focusing on issues such as health care, education and affordable housing.
“Not a lot of people really care about whether I'm Somali or not. They are focused on what can I bring to the table?” he said. “I have been focused on my message, which is, I want to make sure I want to see people in this community succeed. I want to see our community thrive.”
Not surprisingly, both St. Cloud-area races have attracted a lot of spending by outside groups. Voters who live in the districts can expect to see a lot of negative ads in their mailboxes until the Nov. 5 election.
