I know there are a lot of people who don’t like U.S. Representative Chip Cravaack just because of his political leanings. I try not hold a person’s party affiliation against him. I’ve voted for Democrats, Republicans, and yes—I’ll admit it—I was one of the folks that voted for Independent candidate Jesse Ventura for governor. Sorry, it seemed like a good idea at the time.
I’ve watched Representative Cravaack’s interactions with the citizens of the 8th District since he won the seat from 16-term Congressman James Oberstar in 2010. I have to say that I disagree with the critics who have recently claimed Cravaack was intentionally avoiding his constituents.
Just one day after Cravaack visited Grand Portage— holding a town meeting at the Grand Portage Lodge & Casino and meeting with Grand Portage veterans—he was faced with about 50 protesters in Duluth. The crowd gathered outside of Grandma’s Saloon and Grill in Duluth on August 23, chanting “jobs, not cuts” and calling for an “open and free public meeting.”
According to Dan Kraker of Minnesota Public Radio, the protesters were upset that the lunch meeting at Grandma’s with the National Federation of Independent Businesses was not open to the public and required a $10 admission fee.
Regarding the $10 fee for lunch, I don’t know where these protestors have been for the last 20 years of politics in the United States. Cravaack didn’t invite the fundraiser dinner. And he certainly didn’t break any records with this $10 plate luncheon. I doubt if he made any money on the event. The $10 fee barely covers the cost of a meal at Grandma’s.
But if someone wants to be angry with Cravaack over a paid luncheon, I won’t argue that point.
But I will argue over the second rationale for protesting— the fact that Cravaack has been visiting rural areas of the state. MPR’s Kraker states, “The only free, open-to-all meetings took place only in relatively remote places that are long drives from Duluth.”
Cravaack critics have accused him of avoiding the 8th District’s largest population and media center— Duluth—instead holding open-to-all meetings in Deer River and Grand Portage. One problem with that is that it is untrue. Cravaack held a free, open-to-all meeting in Duluth when he opened his district office on June 9. Yes, constituents had to make an appointment for a face-toface meeting, but again, that is nothing new.
When U.S. Senator Al Franken visited in October 2010, he met with a handpicked audience, following in the footsteps of Congressman Jim Oberstar. Former Congressman Oberstar charmed North Shore residents in select small groups during his visits to Cook County over his lengthy career.
I know a number of local residents who did make the long drive to Duluth to meet with Congressman Cravaack in June.
Cravaack explained to MPR that he intentionally planned visits to rural areas. He said, “We’ve concentrated our town halls actually on cities that do not have offices. That’s what we’ve done….” We’ve gone to the district; we’ve gone to the people to make sure they have accessibility as well.”
For me, whether a candidate or an elected official makes the trip up the North Shore is a sign of how much he or she cares about the district. Cravaack made points with me when he visited three times while campaigning, visiting with the rural electorate at the Senior Center, at Birch Terrace, and at a roadside stop in Schroeder.
U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar was another candidate who gained some credibility with me when she also visited several times while campaigning and then after she was elected. Her most recent visit—to Arrowhead Electric Cooperative in Lutsen and to walk in the Grand Marais Fisherman’s Picnic parade—show that she is interested, like Cravaack, in day-today life in Cook County.
Klobuchar and Cravaack are following in historic footsteps by making these visits to the North Shore. Just last week in Cook County News- Herald’s Down Memory Lane, we learned that 50 years ago, Governor Elmer L. Anderson visited Grand Portage, predicting great success for the newly established Grand Portage National Monument. And in the same Down Memory Lane, it was reported that 90 years ago, Governor and Mrs. J. Preus were guests of Mr. and Mrs. C.J. Johnson of Grand Marais.
However, visits from politicians and elected officials like Governor Anderson and Governor Preus or Senator Klobuchar and Representative Cravaack are few and far between. So in answer to the critics who say Cravaack is avoiding them, I say get in your car and head north for a couple of hours to meet with him next time he comes to visit the North Shore. We’ve been making the drive to Duluth for years.
The trouble with the world is not that people know too little, but that they know so many things that ain’t so.
Mark Twain
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