That being said, I am a bit intrigued by the Mayor candidacy of Duluth City Councilman Don Ness.
Ness is 33, and was first elected to the city council at 25. He was Jim Oberstar’s campaign manager for nearly a decade and he met his wife while she was a field staffer for Paul Wellstone. Check out this bit from the bio on his website:
Don “Donny” Ness was born to Don and Mary Ness on January 9, 1974 a date noted primarily for its exceptionally cold temperatures - 30 degrees below zero. Barely into his twenties, Don Sr. was a pastor for a small non-denominational Christian church and did odd jobs around town to provide for his young family. For the first year of Donny’s life, the family lived in a tiny home that had no indoor plumbing. As an infant, Donny slept in a carefully lined sock drawer. Don and Mary affectionately called this home the “happiness house.”
Now that’s a good bio for a DFLer. As for the really important stuff, (where he is on those pesky issues, etc…) I have no idea. This post isn’t an endorsement, its actually a request for more information.
Anyone know anything about Ness or how the Duluth mayoral race is shaping up?
Ness is a good friend of a lot of us down here in the cities. You’d have to be new to Young or Progressive DFL activity if you don’t know him. Or, at least new within the last three years. He’s been a good soldier for the party for years and a familiar face.
He’s a good guy.
Charlie Bell (lost to Bergson) said he wouldn’t run again…can’t find any news of anyone jumping in against Ness.
Donny is a terrific guy. A lot of people in the city thought his candidacy for City Council was a bit of a fluke at first, but he quickly won over all the doubters. He’s become very well respected in the City over the years and should win the Mayoral race easily.
You have to wonder if he’s Oberstar’s heir-apparent…