DFLers came together for a rally and get-out-the-vote effort in North Minneapolis.
With races tight up and down the ballot, voter turnout is key to securing victory for DFL hopefuls. At a Monday (Nov. 5) mid-morning rally in North Minneapolis, DFL candidates Rep. Tim Walz (governor), Rep. Peggy Flanagan (lieutenant governor), Sen. Tina Smith (U.S. Senate), Rep. Keith Ellison (attorney general), Sec. Steve Simon (secretary of state), Julie Blaha (state auditor), Rep. Ilhan Omar (U.S. House, 5th District), Rep. Ray Dehn (Minnesota House, 59B), Irene Fernando (Hennepin County commissioner, Dist. 1) and Dave Hutch (Hennepin County sheriff) were all on hand making their presence known in North Minneapolis. Also on hand were Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, State Sen. Jeffrey Hayden (62), Minneapolis School Board member Kim Ellison and others.
The energy in the room was palpable as candidates made their last-minute appeals to voters. Walz called on voters in Minnesota to reject the Republicans’ message of fear.
“Their (Republicans) closing strategy is to have you to be fear women and children fleeing persecution and hunger. Their idea is to have you to be scared of your shadow,” said Walz. “Those of us who are teachers, we know this, fearful people are weak people and they’re bullies. This is a place (Minnesota) where every child, Black, white, indigenous or Brown, gets a quality education. Where every person in this state has access to quality and affordable education. And your vote (Tuesday) says to mothers, ‘Enough,’ it’s time to address gun violence.”
Ellison said liberty is what’s at stake in this election.
“When your student loan debt is half your salary you can’t afford your life. When your medical bills are half your salary you can’t afford your life,” said Ellison. “As your attorney general I will fight for you so you can live your life. When you see us (pointing to the DFL candidates running), our names are on the ballot, but what’s really on the ballot is justice. Justice is on the ballot.”
Final voting in this mid-term election takes place tomorrow (Tuesday) with polls closing at 8 p.m.
