North Branch Mayor Kirsten Hagen Kennedy was one of several speakers at the Cook County DFL Organizing Unit Convention held at the Cook County Community Center. Kennedy was there seeking support in her quest to gain the DFL nomination for Congress in Minnesota’s Eighth Congressional District.
The Cook County Community Center was a boisterous place on Saturday morning, March 24 when 87 Cook County DFL party members gathered to hold the county DFL Organizing Unit Convention.
One of the highlights of the meeting was the election of officials and delegates.
Bryan Hansel was elected Cook County chair. Pat Campanaro was selected as vice chair; Mary Sanders, secretary; Paulette Anholm, treasurer; and Dan Shirley was chosen to head up the outreach and inclusion position.
Picked as Congressional 8 District delegates who will attend conventions in Duluth on April 14 and attend the state convention in Rochester June 1-3 were Judi Barsness, Claire Shirley, Paul Nordlund, Stacey Hawkins, Rena Rogers and Bill Hansen.
In case some of the delegates can’t make it, alternate delegates were also selected. They include Greg Gailen, Pat Campanaro, John Thompson, Mary Sanders, Erika Ternes, and Denny FitzPatrick.
Bryan Hansel was selected to be the party’s delegate at the State Central Committee meeting which takes place Saturday, March 31 at Hermantown Middle School. The State Central Committee is the governing body of the Minnesota DFL. Should Hansel not be able to attend, Pat Campanaro or Tina Krauz were picked to serve as an alternate delegate.
Attending the Congressional District (CD) pre-convention committee that will meet April 13 in Duluth and the groups they will work with are Judi Barsness, constitution; Bill Hansen, rules; Rena Rogers, nominations; Claire Shirley, endorsements; and Stacey Hawkins, credentials.
The pre-convention is held to organize and compile the rules and credentials and resolutions, etc. prior to the convention.
Twenty resolutions were passed during the convention. They ranged in support of the national climate change carbon-fee-and-dividend proposal to saying “No” to Neonicotinoid Insecticides. There was a resolution of support for an equal rights amendment as well as strong support to see legislation enacted to quell gun violence. There was a resolution against pipelines (Enbridge) and a resolution against the proposed copper-nickel sulfide-ore-bearing mining that could negatively affect the BWCA/Lake Superior watershed. There was strong support to see legislation passed for universal health care for all.
Visiting candidates included Rob Ecklund, Michelle Lee who mentioned her humble roots, and Kirsten Kennedy who introduced herself as a California-born Norwegian American who loves the North Shore and was astounded by the lake’s beautiful ice.
Letters were read that were sent by DFL gubernatorial candidate Rebecca Otto and DFL congressional candidate Leah Phifer (both are candidates preferred by Cook County DFL), as well as letters sent by Julie Blaha, who is running for state auditor and Amy Klobuchar, who is seeking a third straight term in the U.S. Senate.
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