Last night, we reported that former Marine Ashwin Madia has decided to enter the race for Congress in the 3rd CD.I had a chance to talk with Ash early this morning, and I was impressed. He’s clearly given a lot of thought to his candidacy and the issues that he hopes to focus on.
I think he’ll make a splash in this race.
First, a little background. Madia is a first generation American, his parents came to the U.S. with $19 in their pockets. He graduated from Osseo High School, the University of Minnesota and NYU Law. After law school, when I’m sure many of his friends were accepting big-salary jobs with law firms all across the country, Ash enlisted in the Marine Corps and served four years, including a tour in Iraq. Since he left the Marines, Madia has been an associate at a Minneapolis law firm, but he has left his position to campaign full time for Congress.
Drawing on his experience in Iraq, Madia plans to make the war a major issue in his campaign. He also hopes to focus on balancing the budget and fighting global warming. What he stressed most frequently, however, is his desire for this campaign to be a real dialogue between the candidates. Madia says he wants as many debates and candidate forums as possible, noting that open congressional seats don’t come around very often.
With no elected experience and no history with party regulars, Madia certainly has an uphill climb. He’s seeking to break into politics in a congressional race that is likely to be among the most competitive in the country — and a race that already has an excellent DFL candidate. There is no question that he is an underdog in this race. That being said, Madia is certainly talented and articulate. Underestimate him at your own peril.
This guy looks like a great candidate, but how old is he? 28 maybe? I might start with the state house or senate.
As I recall, we had a half-decent US Senator for whom the Senate was his first electoral victory.
Are you talking about Paul Wellstone, who was 46 when elected, and had spent decades working for the DFL, including a run for state auditor?
I think there is something very refreshing with a person who hasn’t “paid their dues” to and is therefore beholden to a party.
KH is right on this one. And, sure, he looks a little on the young side, but it doesn’t seem like “inexperienced” would be an apt descriptor.
He certainly looks like he’d bring a new kind of energy.
Dan-
Point.
I am curious on his age, it is no where to be found on his website, but seems like an interesting candidate none the less.
As I’d said many times, we need more candidates in this race so I’m glad to see this. Maybe in the end, it all comes down to Bonoff and Paulsen — but I’d rather if they each earn their respective nominations vs. be given them so easily.
Wasn’t his name Jigar when he was the MSA president back in college?
He’s 30.
Pity he’s a DFLer. He was so nice back then.
From the Star Trib article on Madia:
“He will also be moving from Minneapolis to a Maple Grove address in the 3rd District on Nov. 1”
I don’t care what anyone says, lots of voters don’t like when someone has to actually move to the district they are hoping to represent in order to be eligible just to run.
Yea, but it says on his website that he grew up in that district, and went to high school there. I think he has fresh energy and I wouldn’t underestimate him. And on the flip side, what is Teri Bonoff’s claim to fame? What has she actually done?
DantheMan- He has grown up in that district and went to school in that district (Osseo Senior High), his parent’s still live there too. Just because he probably had a place down in Minneapolis while he went to school at the U of M doesn’t mean he’s just shifting to another district to try to get represented.
I think he’ll bring a fresh view and has a lot to say. His website, http://www.madiaforcongress.com/, seems to have a lot of information on it too. I look forward to seeing him more.
I went to school with Ashwin when he was MSA president at the U (when he went by Jigar). Sounds like he’s the same intelligent, moderate voice he was back then, which is refreshing with all the party regulars already declared. I think it’s cool that he’s returning to the district he grew up in to run for the open seat.
When he got back from Iraq- he moved to an apartment in Minneapolis and has been saving up money. Its only been about a year or so.
He’s 31.
Um … this guy was the President of the Minnesota Student Association, Undergraduate student government at the U of MN Twin Cities. Why is that not on his biography?
Because he ran as a Republican.
The MSA bit is on his bio, though it does not mention that he ran as a republican.
I also thought it was interesting that he’s already chosen to abide by the endorsement.
I don’t know how much traction he’ll get in this race at this time, but he’s certainly someone to keep an eye on.
I think that anyone who hears both Bonoff and Madia speak is going to immediately take Madia seriously. Whatever his age, he has clearly thought through the issues and knows exactly why he’s running.
This issue about his address is a total red herring - the man went to high school in the district and his family continues to live there. Lots of lawyers at big Mpls firms start with an apartment downtown - they’re working crazy hours and it’s convenient to live close.
so it’s sen. bonoff and 2 former republicans. very interesting. thank you president bush for your recruiting work for us.
I agree that new energy is good, but to me Hovland would provide new energy as well. Still, I’m glad more people are in the race. It can only be a good thing to have a “real” primary.
It’s great that he used to live in the district, but I still have to wonder if we can’t find the best 3-4 candidates in the district rather than need people to move back in order to be eligible.
With that said, though, I think that working at a major law firm is generally a good thing for fundraising. The partners usually have deep, Democratic pockets.
The move is irrelevant — he is *from* the district. I can’t see much downside to having a young, smart, articulate, Iraq-veteran, son-of-immigrants candidate who abides by the endorsement. Sure, an unopposed candidate can focus on the general, but there will still be plenty of time for that after the DFL endorsement. And who knows — maybe that candidate will even be him…
I had a chance to hear Madia speak on the radio today. That guy has some fire in him. He has obviously spent a lot of time thinking about these issues. I think his service in Iraq really gives him some credibility, not to mention a way better edge at beating Paulsen than Bonoff.
And DantheMan, do you fault Madia for moving away in the first place? Or maybe you fault him for moving to Baghdad for awhile? I simply don’t understand this fixation.
Oh, and just an aside, I did some research (okay, googling) and his first move as MSA president was a pay cut. FOR HIMSELF.
That’s what I call policy in practice. Markedly, supporters of his MSA campaign said:
“He also calls us a “motley crew.” I kind of like that, because we are all very different people politically — liberal, conservative, moderate — with different backgrounds of leadership and involvement on campus.”
check it out yourself: http://www.mndaily.com/articles/1997/04/23/4172
Interested - I don’t fault him for moving away for a while. And it is great that he grew up in the area. I’m just saying that when it comes down to me making my personal decision on who to support, I’ll probably gravitate to someone who has built up a local track record of accomplishment in the 3rd district (the “in the 3rd district part is important — after all, their new career will be to represent that district with every fiber of their being).
This guy sounds talented. Lots of people sound talented when they announce a run. I’m just saying that a network of community support that has been earned through years of contributing to the betterment of the 3rd (doesn’t have to be legislative in my book — many other ways to earn it) is important to me.
To the next person, they may like a new youthful face. Like I said, it is a personal decision.
DantheMan-
Need we point out to even the principled Republicans here where he was living for a large chunk of the time he was out of the 3rd?
No American in their right mind would attempt to dismiss 4 years of faithful service to the Marines, especially when there was time in Iraq. Believe me, I’m not trying to do that. I thank this young man and all other servicemen for their dedication.
Does military service enhance a candidates electibility? Yes! Does military service replace the need to earn a grassroots network in a CD through effort, accomplishment, and contribution to that CD over time? Not in my book.
This is the challenge anyone running against one of our Iraq heroes will have: Articulating that the military service, while admired, doesn’t BY ITSELF qualify someone for the office. It is nearly taboo to claim that, and that is why ex-military can be such formidable candidates.
It is possible to show appreciation for service to our country while still believing they MAY not be ready for Congress. That’s all.
While DantheMan is right about a persons military service I would say the same thing is true about a person’s service in politics. A person being an accomplished politician including the building up of a fund raising base and political connections does not reflect on their ability to be a good representative and legislator for their district.
The further we move from citizen law makers and toward the creation of an elite class of professional politicians the worse off we will all be.
Dantheman-
You don’t have to live in the district to be eligible to run for that districts seat - that may be true in many states but not in Minnesota.
Marc
Thanks for the clarification, Marc. You do, however, have you live in the district to me to vote for you.
DantheMan,
I agree - it would take a remarkable candidate to convince voters that their intentions are anything but simply opportunity-based.
DantheMan-
Wow. I am impressed by your careful, thoughtful rubric for candidate support:
Marine? — Doesn’t matter.
Iraq Vet? — Who cares?
Well-thought, passionate ideas? — Not important.
GREW UP IN THE DISTRICT, but moved to Baghdad to serve our country? — AHA! He left the third! Even if it WAS to serve in the armed forces!
Have politics really sunk so low? We resort to splitting hairs instead of considering the issues, the candidate, and his/her passion for being a part of positive change??
DantheMan- It seems like this is your ONLY hang up with Madia. You haven’t commented once on his ideas and his platform for running.
I recommend you hear him speak. About the ISSUES. Maybe you will reconsider your method of choosing a candidate.
I live in the third, and I keep asking myself: what has bonoff done?
The fact that Madia has been living outside of his district for such a short amount of time, not including military service and school, makes the issue of little value. It is also strange to think that those that will be voting for Franken and Hillary in a year would have a problem with a person moving into an area simply to run for office. At least Madia is really from the third.
DemGuy -
You twisted my post around about is far is it could be twisted, and you know it.
I fully stand by all the points I’ve made, think they are rational, and much like I probably need to spend more time reviewing all the candidates position papers, you should re-read my posts to get the real message rather than spin it into rhetoric.
Southern Minny Moderate, Interested, Michael, ModerateRepub, DJZ, WaffleTushie, Chuck, and DemGuy.
Haven’t seen you all around here before, and I sure can appreciate the fact that you know alot about this guy (who most of us had never heard of until this week).
You wouldn’t all happen to be very, very closely related, would you?
Actually, I live in the 3rd and have been a huge supporter of Jim Ramstad. When I heard he was not running again I was slightly concerned and then a little bit later I heard about this Madia guy that was running. I usually like to learn a bit about a person before I vote and I came across this forum where you commented. Seeing that you had made the note that he was from outside the 3rd I thought I would check into it because if it were the case that he wasn’t at all affiliated with the 3rd I would probably not vote for him. In my search I found the true answer and felt apt to respond to your comments. I may not be into politics and this website nearly as much as you, but even though im not related I felt it was important to put in my 2 cents.
Also, the more I hear about this guy the more I like. Sometimes I wonder if Bonoff is like a lot of politicians, seeming to work like a politician like I work my 9-5 job. I think that Madia has the right background and seems to have a huge heart and fresh excitement on views that would carry over to being more beneficial to me then Bonoff’s approach would.
You must know Madia and Bonoff personally to be able to draw all those conclusions. Based on the little bit I’ve seen of all candidates, I’m not comfortable claiming that he has a huge heart and fresh excitement, nor am I able to draw a conclusion on how Bonoff approaches her work.
I’m excited for the campaign to sort these issues out (as well as bring additional candidates into the fold).
DantheMan-
First, I find it hilarious that knowing something about a candidate now equates one with subversive methods of political blogging (or whatever your point was…)
Second, why haven’t you addressed the fact that Madia grew up in the district, left to serve in the Marine Corps, and now would like to represent the district that he grew up in?
Like I said earlier, I live in the third. I have followed Bonoff. I have seen what she has done (or lack thereof). Madia entering the race has opened the eyes of a lot of use here in the third who have been waiting for someone who will actually do something.
“”Second, why haven’t you addressed the fact that Madia grew up in the district, left to serve in the Marine Corps, and now would like to represent the district that he grew up in?”“
Ummm - what do you want me to say? What do I need to “address”?
OK - here it goes:
I believe the history of this man to be true, that he grew up in the district, went to the Marines, and is now running for Congress. I do not believe this to be inaccurate.
How is that — did I address it? I’m missing the link between that and the fact that he is somehow the best person to represent me in Congress, but all of that can be sorted out over the next year.
“DantheMan- It seems like this is your ONLY hang up with Madia.”
No, it isn’t my only hangup. I’m sure there will be more as I begin to learn more about him, along with all of the other candidates.
The bottom line - I’m glad we’re getting more people in this race. Even though I may not vote for him, I like the fact he and others are throwing their hats into the ring.