Tracking Minnesota Politics Since 2005
Don Ness, a MN Publius favorite, will be Mayor of Duluth. Congratulations Mr. Mayor!
City Councilor Don Ness will become one of the youngest mayors in Duluth’s history, defeating opponent Charlie Bell tonight.
With all but one precinct counted, Ness held a lead with 53 percent of the votes, with 47 percent going to Charlie Bell.
It’s time to go to your polls if you live in St. Paul, Duluth, or almost 100 school districts around the state. As well it’s election day in a few states around the country.
This evening, if my wife should humor me I’ll be plopped in front of the computer watching the St. Paul Ward 1 and Ward 6 returns come in, where I am hoping for Melvin Carter and Pakou Hang, two great young DFL’ers to win, and the Duluth Mayors race, where I’m hoping for yet another great young DFLer, Donny Ness’s victory.
Around the country I’ll be looking at the Kentucky governors race and the Virginia House of Delegates and the Virginia State Senate.
The reason why I’ll be looking at the Kentucky Governors race is it could serve as a signal whether or not the Republican Culture of Corruption meme has hit it’s high water mark or if it is still resonating with voters. True, Ernie Fletcher (R), the current governor of Kentucky is in reality really really corrupt, and it may be the extravagance of his corruption that will do in his administration, but it’s still worth looking and analyzing to see if voters still feel that the Republican party has a credibility gap.
Every seat in the Virginia House of Delegates and State Senate is up for grabs this year and and these off year elections in Virginia are the lab in which new electoral and GOTV strategies are tested and refined before the next years national races. Look to see how immigration plays with voters in the state, and whether or not one or both houses switch to Democratic control.
So, St. Paul and Duluth readers, go vote! And check back to MNPublius for more information as we finish this cycle and really start next years!
The entirety of his reponse in a Duluth News Tribune interview can be seen here, but here are the pertinent parts. (emphasis mine)
Duluth News Tribune: Do you think crime is getting worse in Duluth?Charlie Bell: Yes.
Duluth News Tribune: Why so?
Charlie Bell: I think people have moved into Duluth that don’t belong here. I think we see people walking the streets that don’t fit the identities, that don’t fit what we normally have, don’t fit the citizens that have lived here for years and years. They do stand out.
Duluth News Tribune: What type of people do you mean? Homeless people?
Charlie Bell: No, let me answer the question again.
Duluth News Tribune: The question was: Do you think crime is getting worse in Duluth?
Charlie Bell: I think people have moved here from other places in this country. From Detroit, in Mississippi…
Here is a quick FYI to Bell and whoever is doing his media, when you say “Let me answer the question again.” it usually means that you back away from whatever stupid thing you said in the first place. Duluth has had 4 years of bonehead leadership in Herb Bergson, and it doesn’t need anymore from Bell, who thinly veiled racist rant aside, has a habit of saying bonehead things.
The good news is, one of the most exciting young politicians in the state Donny Ness is running against Bell. Donny has been a Duluth City Council member since 1999, and he has the leadership and experience to help Duluth through it’s financial problems, and to make Duluth grow in the 21st century. Visit his campaign through their website here, and donate to his campaign here.
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