Jun 6, 2018
www.commsolutionsmn.com- Well, here we sit at the MNGOP 2018 state convention in Duluth. This is kind of surreal, as I used to door guard and usher in this building (the old Duluth Arena) for concerts, circuses, the Ice Capades, and (most importantly) UMD Bulldog hockey games. I know, I know... I was a St. Scholastica grad, but I grew up watching the Dogs, so I just needed to employ some cognitive dissonance.
It's also strange to be sitting in the press pit after so many years spent on the floor of these things. No sudden urges to consent "aye" though. Our take is going to be a little different than most other outlets. Sure, I could tell you all about what's happening right now as I'm listening to Mayor Randy Gilbert talk about endorsing Mary Guiliani-Stevens... but you can probably hear about all of that stuff from everyone else sitting in this area.
Then why are we here? There is a whole other story here. It is one of the two largest gatherings of political activists in the state (one being Republican and the other being Democrat). There are people here that are running for city councils, county commissions, school boards, soil and water conservation boards, sheriff... and it's important to tell their story too.
We've been wandering around here since Friday, and have had people coming up to me and saying "I'm running! Now what?" We've also heard from those that have said, "I've been looking everywhere for someone that does local, Minnesota news. I'm so glad to have found you!"
In this episode, we interview some folks we knew (or met) that are running for nonpartisan offices around the state. Get introduced to John Ulrick, Paul Knier, Paul Seefeld, Derek Nelson, and Stacy Braun. They are all running for different offices, so it's a great look into the different kind of positions available out there where you can give back to your community. We also take some time to break down the caucus/convention process and weigh it against primaries. It's a bit longer than the average installment, but we think you are going to enjoy this one.
Have you checked out our Spotify playlist? At the beginning of each episode Jason quotes some song lyrics that have to do with the subject matter of the podcast. Andrew never knows what they are, but now he can… and so can you! We just launched the Spotify playlist: “Community Solutions Music From the Podcast“! You can listen to Roundabout from Yes after listing to Episode 30 on Roundabouts… or kick back and enjoy a rocking playlist just for the thrill of it. We add a new song every week. Subscribe and enjoy!
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