State Senator Becky Lourey, candidate for Minnesota governor, and businessman Tim Baylor of Minneapolis last week announced that Baylor will join the Lourey team as candidate for lieutenant governor.
Lourey and Baylor are seeking endorsement to be the DFL candidates on the September primary and November general elections. Baylor broadens the already expansive business look and feel of the Lourey team. He is a commercial developer, small business owner, civic leader and former pro football player. She is also an entrepreneur. Lourey and her husband Gene own the 70-employee Nemadji Research Corp.
Lourey announced her selection of Baylor in a Wednesday morning press conference at the State Capitol.
“My wish list for a running mate called for community leadership qualities, broad appeal across a wide spectrum, diverse talents, a dynamic and energetic personality, extensive work experience beyond government and an excellent reputation for integrity,” Lourey said. “Tim Baylor delivers the goods on every one of these counts and offers Minnesotans even more. I am thrilled and honored he has accepted my invitation to complete the DFL ticket.”
“After getting to know Becky Lourey better, I wanted to join her team,” Baylor said. “Although this is something entirely new to me, I look forward to the challenge. It can only help to run with someone like Becky Lourey, who brings fearlessness, energy and passion to the campaign trail. Together, I believe we have the passion to win.”
A two-term state senator from Kerrick, Lourey is tenacious energy personified. And she has built a reputation for winning against the odds. In 1990, after two failed attempts, she unseated a long-time incumbent Republican state representative to become the first woman to represent her rural district. In 1996 she scored an upset primary election victory in the race for her district Senate seat, upending another legislative veteran. The two incumbents she defeated had 44 years of legislative experience between them.
Lourey beat the 18-year legislative veteran Republican State Representative Doug Carlson in 1990 and won re-election in 1992 and 1994. In 1996 Lourey won the DFL endorsement for the Minnesota Senate and faced down 26-year incumbent DFL Senator Florian Chmielewski in a primary election. She was re-elected to a two-year term, then to the current four-year term in a district that has significantly more Republican voters, due to redistricting.
Lourey says her parents were both staunch Republicans. When she announced her own candidacy last November, she said, “My Republican father instilled in me a strong sense of fiscal responsibility. Most young people today could assume that Republican leaders were always fiscally irresponsible. But I learned from my father that government should only borrow for those things that can generate the necessary revenue to pay back the investment. Otherwise government must collect taxes to pay for society’s other needs: a good education, keeping communities safe and essential health care.
“We all know Minnesota can do better. And I feel strongly that it is my duty to work with all the citizens of this state to make Minnesota more competitive again,” she said.
In last week’s announcement of Baylor’s selection as her running mate, Lourey said, “Tim Baylor is a smart choice for Democrats who want to win this November. With an inspiring personal story, he will connect with Democratic voters. Tim’s personal experience also provides him a great opportunity to reach out to Independents and Republicans who are fed up with the fiscally irresponsible leadership of Bush and Pawlenty.
“Tim and I are excited to address the critical issue of closing the opportunity gap. In my years of working on health care policy, I have always found the most troubling statistics to be those that reveal the incredible access gaps that exist. In our schools, the achievement gap leaves too many kids behind. In our job market, the employment gap leaves too many workers without economic independence. In our economy, the investment gap leaves too many small businesses under-funded. Together, Tim and I will close these gaps to ensure that Minnesota becomes a place where the American dream is within the reach of all our citizens,” she said.
Baylor owns and operates two McDonald’s franchises located in Minneapolis and Robbinsdale.
Baylor’s JADT Development Group builds residential and commercial developments in the Twin Cities. JADT has developed a multi-phase residential community on the former site of the Riverview Supper Club. River Pointe Living is a townhome and condominium development on the banks of the Mississippi River at West Broadway Avenue just north of downtown Minneapolis. The project is a key element of the Above the Falls initiative, a joint development plan of Minneapolis and other public entities aimed at developing the Mississippi Riverfront between St. Anthony Falls and the northern city limits.
Phase I of the development, Riverview Townhomes, consists of 29 luxury town homes. Phase II is River Pointe Condominiums, which had its grand opening in May and will consist of 58 upscale condominiums overlooking the river. Both phases are adding significant new property tax revenues to the city rolls.
Baylor is a member of the McDonald’s Regional Leadership Council and the National Black McDonald’s Owners Association. He served as president of the West Broadway Area Coalition, leading efforts to spur the city and county initiatives to revitalize this key North Minneapolis corridor.
Baylor served on the city’s Planning Commission from 1992-2001.
Baylor received the 2005 Business and Philanthropy Award of the National Center for Black Philanthropy. Baylor is a member of the board of directors of the Greater Twin Cities United Way and sits on the advisory board of Summit Academy, a skills development and training facility for adults. Baylor formerly was a member of the board of directors for City Inc. He has been a Big Brother in Minneapolis and is a YMCA Partner. Baylor also has coached pee-wee football, basketball, and baseball and girls softball.
He is a member and past president of The Monitors Club, a social and philanthropic organization of professional African-American men focused on serving the community. Baylor was also the co-founder and past president of the National Association of Minority Contractors for Minnesota
A star on the gridiron, Baylor was inducted into the Morgan State University (Baltimore, MD) Athletic Hall of Fame. After college, he played in the defensive backfield for the Baltimore Colts (10th round draft pick in 1976) and later for the Minnesota Vikings. He was a recipient of the Outstanding Young Men of America award in 1985.
Born in Washington, D.C., in 1954, he is one of six children of Lloyd and Evelyn Baylor. He graduated from Cardozo High School and then attended Morgan State University in Baltimore, where he received a B.S. in Rehabilitation Therapy.
Tim Baylor is married to his college sweetheart, Doris, who is executive director of Community Outreach for the YMCA of Metropolitan Minneapolis and Greater St. Paul, and also a principal in JADT Development. They have two adult children. Married for nearly 30 years, Tim and Doris belong to the Speak the Word Church in Golden Valley.
“Becky Lourey and I share a common set of values,” Baylor said. “We are champions of opportunity for all, treating people fairly, focusing our attention on quality education and affordable health care for every Minnesotan. While we are unlikely to hold similar positions on every possible issue, we agree that a diversity of views will broaden and strengthen the ticket.”
“Democrats win when we energize and broaden our base, drawing a sharp contrast with Republicans.” Lourey said. “The Lourey-Baylor team will bring more excitement into this governor’s race and deliver a convincing Democratic victory in November. Becky Lourey and Tim Baylor — we are both the passionate and practical choice in 2006.”
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