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A Democrat on what it’s like running in ruby red rural Minnesota
For the past two years I’ve written articles about what it’s like to be a Democrat in red, rural Minnesota. Now I’ll tell you what it’s like to be a Democrat running for public office in red, rural Minnesota. I filed to run for the state Senate on the last day possible: May 31. I […]
New Prague racial incidents show we need more, not less teaching of racial history | Opinion
In the early 1990s, when I was a freshman in a rural Minnesota high school, there was an incident in which fans of the visiting team yelled racial epithets at the Asian-American players on my school’s girls basketball team. Fast-forward 30 years, and this type of racist behavior is still happening in Minnesota high schools. […]
We are rural Dems and tried to connect with neighbors; here’s how it went | Opinion
In a July 2021 Reformer article, I wrote of the Lyon County DFL’s plan to follow Jane Kleeb’s advice. Kleeb, the author of “Harvest the Vote: How Democrats Can Win Again in Rural America,” proposed several strategies for Democrats living in rural America. These strategies include finding common ground, being authentic by telling your story, […]
We’re rural Democrats and we’re gonna try to listen to our Trumpy neighbors — wish us luck | Opinion
Driving west on a family vacation to Colorado earlier this summer, it was very apparent that loyalty to former President Donald Trump remains strong in rural America. On farms, ranches, and small towns in Minnesota, South Dakota, Nebraska and Colorado, we saw many indicators: Trump 2024 flags (with the slogans “Make Votes Count Again” or […]
History on repeat: Klan was active here in the 1920s | Opinion
On the morning of April 25, Moorhead residents awoke to find racist, white supremacist phrases and symbols spray painted on the local Islamic Community Center building and grounds. Although a group of community members gathered several days later to scrub the walls clean, they could not erase the hate and intolerance that prompted this act […]
The political glass ceiling has been cracked, but the shards can cut
After Kamala Harris became vice president-elect, a popular meme circulated on social media showing her wearing a pair of sneakers. The meme bore the caption: “Wear your shoes, ladies, there is glass everywhere. She may have broken a glass ceiling, but now shards of glass litter the ground. And stepping on glass hurts. It cuts […]
Abuse directed at rural Democrats isn’t the whole story; there’s been kindness, too
Last week the Reformer published a guest commentary about the harassment the Lyon County Democrats suffered when they went out to campaign this year. The essay was one of our most read last week. But there’s more to the story, says Lyon County DFL Chair Anita Gaul. The harassment we experienced was appalling and, at […]
Not fun being a rural Democrat these days
Have you been harassed because of your political beliefs? Tell us about it: [email protected]. For the past four months, the Lyon County chapter of the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party has been hosting weekly pop-up offices in various cities and towns around Lyon County. At each pop-up event, we erect a tent and staff it for several hours […]