Our congratulations go out to Steve Sarvi who was endorsed by acclimation after the first ballot (perennial candidate Peter Idusogie was nominated for endorsement as well).
Like we said last night it’s the first step in a long race to beat John Kline, but congratulations to Steve!
The Sarvi press release after the jump.
Steve Sarvi Receives Endorsement of DFL Party
in Minnesota’s 2nd Congressional District
FARIBAULT, Minn. – This morning, delegates to the 2nd Congressional District Democratic-Farmer-Labor (DFL) Party Convention endorsed Steve Sarvi’s candidacy for Congress. Sarvi will face Rep. John Kline (R-Lakeville) in the November election.
After one ballot, Peter Idusogie, who had been challenging Sarvi for the endorsement, addressed the convention, withdrew his candidacy and endorsed Sarvi.
Upon being nominated for the party’s endorsement, with family by his side and flanked by supporters, Sarvi had this to say:
“Last October, we started a journey. Many of you in this room have been with me. Over the past seven months, in my travels to events throughout the district, on my two listening tours, and in your homes, we’ve talked about the issues our country faces. We’ve talked about your hopes and your dreams and your heartfelt belief that our nation is on the wrong course. And we’ve talked about working together for change. History-making change.
“Rarely do any of us make history. But this is a rare moment. When we bring people together, shed old differences and see – sometimes for the first time – that we have so much in common, it’s possible to make history.
“This election is about all of us. It’s about building a better future together. In February, our precinct caucus participation made history. My campaign has already called almost 10,000 of those DFL caucus attendees to invite them to stay involved and help us make history, not just on February 5, but also on November 4.
“People are demanding change – not just talk of change, but the real thing. And they want to be part of it. After eight long years, we’re going to elect a Democratic president – someone who, one way or another will make history. And after five long years, we are going to elect a new Congressman. When that happens, we here in the 2nd District will make history.
“We will make history by taking back our district. This isn’t a ‘Republican district’ – it’s a Minnesota district. And in Minnesota, there are certain things we just don’t do.
“We don’t leave our children a country and a world that’s in worse shape than when we inherited it.
“John Kline has helped our nation wrack up $9 trillion in debt on a credit card issued by China that our children and grandchildren will have to pay off with interest. Making our children pay our bills instead of paying them ourselves is not conservative, and it’s not what Minnesotans do – it’s just wrong.
“John Kline has ignored our infrastructure needs and suggested that it’s not his job to ask that more of Minnesotans’ federal tax dollars to come back to Minnesota. That doesn’t save us money – it just makes us less safe.
“John Kline has made it harder for high school graduates to go to college – not just because he’s voted time and again against student aid, but also because since he began supporting No Child Left Behind, our children’s academic growth has actually declined. That’s a sure path towards failure for our country. And Minnesotans do not accept failure.
“John Kline has stood in the way of sensible energy reforms. Make no mistake: this is not about gas taxes; this is about Big Oil profits – and John Kline has done everything in his power to protect those. In fact, when you go to get gas and pay almost $4 a gallon, just imagine a photo of John Kline’s face on the gas pump. He’s taken more than $110,000 from Big Oil, and he rewards them with his votes.
“John Kline has forced you to pay more taxes. John Kline doesn’t care if we pay higher property or sales taxes on top of our federal and state taxes – he just doesn’t want his rich and powerful friends to have to do the same. Powerful corporate interests and the extremely wealthy don’t need more supporters in Congress; working men and women like us do.”
Sarvi went on to express that Minnesotans don’t disrespect those who have sacrificed for them – namely elderly parents and grandparents, soldiers and veterans. He cited John Kline’s support for the flawed Medicare Part D program and its prohibition against negotiating for better pharmaceutical prices, a personal story from Iraq, where he was assigned a damaged Humvee, and the poor conditions and treatment some combat veterans have seen in Veterans’ Administration hospitals. Sarvi also stated that Minnesotans don’t turn their backs on people and communities in need, discussing the plight of those lacking adequate health insurance and those faced with the fear of business or job losses due to the sagging economy. He described John Kline as a Congressman who doesn’t take action to improve his constituents’ lives, observing that he has remained strangely quiet as Northwest Airlines – located in the 2nd Congressional District – contemplates leaving Minnesota.
Sarvi then said that Minnesotans don’t tolerate politicians “who only show up during election years.” He went on:
“This is the state of Hubert Humphrey, Walter Mondale, Paul Wellstone, Eugene McCarthy and other politicians who are respected all over this nation. Minnesotans lead. We work to right wrongs and to make America a beacon of hope for the world. We say, as Paul Wellstone did, that we all do better when we all do better. John Kline refuses to meet his constituents face-to-face – which probably explains why he supports the president 92 percent of the time. How can you be in touch with the people you’re supposed to represent if you never look them in the eye?
“So now I ask you: What kind of history will we make? In this district, this state and this country, Democrats are the majority party. It’s time for us to lead.
“I believe our nation’s finest days await us, if we will only change course now and stay that course, not the one George Bush and John Kline have put us on. We can stop endless war. We can guarantee that no child ever suffers again because health insurance costs too much and covers too little. We can honor our veterans’ sacrifices now and for the rest of their days. We can have an economy that serves our people and preserves our planet.
“Do you believe what I believe, that our country’s greatest days and decades lie in front of us if we just change course right now, on this day, in this year, for this election?
“Then let’s roll up our sleeves, the way Minnesotans always do, and get to work. I am Steve Sarvi, and I am ready to work side by side with you not only for victory, but also for the new path and the brighter future we all want. Please join me, and persuade others to join this effort. Let’s win this election, stay the right course, and make history together.”
Visit www.stevesarvi.org.
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