District 5 school board candidate Jay Larson fights political rumors

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“I think I found I am a Democrat,” said Minneapolis District 5 school board candidate Jay Larson. Democrat or not, Larson, who announced his candidacy at the beginning of the year has been battling rumors over who he is ever since.At the April 26 Minneapolis DFL City Convention, where school board candidates seek party endorsement, Larson said “things got ugly” when rumors began to spread involving his past experience as an employee of KTMS, a Christian radio station, and The Patriot, a conservative talk radio station.There was “a lot of name-calling,” Larson said, and people telling his supporters that Larson “wasn’t their guy.”“I completely respect the delegate process,” Larson said, “but I won’t participate in it again.”Larson said he felt dismayed that DFL members were quick to attack and dismiss him because of his past work record, while ignoring his more recent deeds as a parent, volunteer and community advocate with Minneapolis Public Schools.“I worked at The Patriot eight or nine years ago,” Larson said, but he left the station because their confrontational talk show format was not a “comfortable” fit for him.He said he began working there partly because of his background in radio and because of a friend who worked for the station that wanted Larson to work with him. But he is proud of the work he did in the promotions department at Christian radio station KTMS, he said, because he is “more Christian, and less conservative.”A public servant “in all aspects”Despite his background, Larson said he still believes in the separation of church and state and that his Christianity would not influence him as a school board member. And he believes his active role at downtown Minneapolis’ First Baptist has prepared him well to serve on the school board, he said.Through First Baptist, Larson said he has been the chair of many committees, and that those are elected positions that have taught him how to represent constituents properly, govern boards well and handle difficult decisions involving things like budgets.Larson said that in all aspects of his life he sees himself as a public servant. When he left The Patriot, he began a career in the funeral industry, he said, where he works today. Continue Reading

Matt Entenza’s claim rejected by three-judge panel

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The 2000 election was probably won by Al Gore. But George Bush was put into office anyway. Imagine what this world would be like had Gore been ensconced in the white house? The Tea Party would probably have emerged sooner and madder, but less organized; global climate change would have become a widely accepted issue to do something about within a couple of years, instead of much later (cuz, you know, that hasn’t even happened yet). We probably wouldn’t have had this war in Iraq. If Gore had continued Clinton’s policy dealing with Al Qaida and Osama Bin Laden (no relation) there probably wouldn’t have been a 9/11. I’m sure we’d have other problems, but none of those problems. Continue Reading

OPINION | What is at stake in the primary election Aug. 12?

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“Ho-hum, a primary election.”“Who cares?”“Why should I even bother to go out and vote on Aug. 12? Mark Dayton and Al Franken are virtually unopposed. What’s the big deal?”Of course, if you live in the West Bank/Riverside Park area you know this election could spell the end of the political career of long- time incumbent Phyllis Kahn. She’s locked in a very tight race with Mohamud Noor. Continue Reading

Republicans having meta-argument over frac sand mining

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h/t Politics.mn

So there’s the underlying issue of frac sand mining, and the issue of who correctly construed who, as Republican gubernatorial campaigns go after each other. For the part of the story about Republicans going after each other, Bill Kuisle, running for lieutenant governor with GOP gubernatorial endorsee Jeff Johnson, said it makes sense to delay frac sand mining so the effects can be studied. Continue Reading