Although many Cook County residents may have already sent in their mail ballots, the four Democratic Farm Labor (DFL) candidates—Rob Ecklund, Bill Hansen, Eric Johnson and Heidi Omerza— all appear to be working hard to get their message to voters before the Tuesday, September 29 primary. As the deadline to get ballots—mailed and otherwise—nears, the race for the Minnesota House District 3A seat has heated up with endorsements and calls for apologies issued.
Endorsements and criticism for Hansen
Bill Hansen of Tofte started September on a crest of good news, with an endorsement by the DFL Environmental Caucus on September 15.
“We are thrilled to endorse Bill Hansen in this race,” said DFL Environmental Caucus Chair Veda Kanitz in a news release. “Bill Hansen is a DFL leader, and as 2015 Tofte Citizen of the Year, a successful businessman, and a leader concerned about preserving our natural heritage. Bill Hansen has a proven track record of striking a balance that works for all the residents of House District 3A.”
The next day, September 16, Duluth Mayor Don Ness lent his endorsement to Hansen for the House District 3A seat. “I’ve had the pleasure to work with Bill Hansen over the past 15 years. He is smart, hardworking, and he loves northern Minnesota,” Mayor Ness said in a statement. “Bill would make a tremendous state legislator, he has my support.”
At the Cook County Chamber of Commerce candidate forum at the Arrowhead Center for the Arts, Hansen noted that he was thrilled to receive Ness’s vote of confidence, stating that he would try to emulate Ness’s multi-issue leadership if elected to serve in the Minnesota House.
A few days later, Hansen came under fire from the Minnesota/North Dakota Laborers Union, the Minnesota AFL-CIO and the Iron Range Building and Construction Trades Council for comments he made about the working conditions and social problems at North Dakota’s Bakken Oilfield. Speaking at an earlier campaign event, Hansen expressed concern about comments made by Frank Ongaro, Mining Minnesota executive director, a vocal PolyMet nonferrous mining advocate, who said PolyMet could become northeastern Minnesota’s “North Dakota.”
Hansen said he cringes at that and asked, “Have you been to Williston?”
He said the project in North Dakota is not what Minnesota wants. He said such projects are “big money” but are “very short term.” He acknowledged that Northeastern Minnesota needs jobs, but said, “But those aren’t the jobs we want…In this modern age, these projects are going to be man camps…that clear out the community, create a lot of crime, prostitution, gambling…And in a very short time they’re gone…and what do they leave behind?”
On September 21, Minnesota AFL-CIO President Shar Knutson responded, “Bill Hansen owes the working people of Minnesota’s Building & Construction Trades an apology. All construction jobs eventually end when construction ends; to refer to them as ‘short term’ demonstrates a lack of understanding of the industry.”
Mike Syversrud, president of the Iron Range Building and Construction Trades Council, interpreted Hansen’s remarks as aimed at his council members and replied, “Our members are drug-tested, safety conscious professionals who work very hard to build Minnesota. Mr. Hansen has degraded our members for his own personal and political gains. He clearly has a delusional and skewed view of current-day construction workers and the value they bring to their families and community.”
Hansen issued a response on September 22, saying, “I knew going into this race that my willingness to question the wisdom of copper-nickel mining would make me the target of those who want to bring this dangerous form of mining to District 3A.
“There’s a lot of money at stake for some very powerful, multinational corporations that have a track record of playing dirty, whether it’s in their treatment of workers or of those who might stand in their way. These companies and their backers in the media think nothing of distorting my comments for their own purposes.
“The well documented social problems associated with the oil boom in North Dakota are a cautionary tale to many of us in District 3A, particularly now that the oil boom has gone bust. If people want our region to be the next North Dakota, they shouldn’t vote for me, because I’ll be working hard to create a diversified and entrepreneurial economy with real staying power.
“Let me be absolutely clear on my position,” said Hansen. “I am a strong supporter of both unions and ferrous mining, and I have repeatedly said that our current mining industry provides sustainable, good paying, union jobs. I will work hard to bring new value-added opportunities to expand employment in the iron mining sector.”
Hansen urged voters to take a look at the track record of Glencore, “the company who would ultimately be calling the shots if the NorthMet mine were to go forward.”
He noted that the company has an international reputation as a ruthless violator of workers rights and the environment and pointed to failed United Steelworkers negotiations with the company.
“If you think this company will be a friend to labor, think again,” said Hansen.
Hansen said, “Join me in building an economy for our region that respects our workers, our communities, and our environment.”
See Bill Hansen’s copper nickel mining comments for yourself at: www.youtube.com/ watch?t=7&v=Kjk2-VUAfgU
Opponents in favor of new mining projects
Hansen’s opponents have gone on record as being supporters of mining, including copper nickel mining, sometimes referred to as sulfide mining.
Ely City Councilor Heidi Omerza told the News-Herald, “I support mining in a safe and responsible manner. I know that disappoints some of my supporters. But we need to find a balance.
“I support logging and growing the tourism industry. But we need to be open to recruiting other businesses as well as working to keep the businesses we already have, the mom and pop shops,” Omerza said.
Rob Ecklund of International Falls picked up two endorsements shortly after announcing his candidacy. Senator Tom Bakk, who worked closely with the late David Dill, said to the International Falls Journal on August 19 that Ecklund has many of the same values as Dill. Bakk was quoted as saying, “So I think David would be comfortable with Rob’s candidacy and pleased he got into it.”
At the end of August, District 11 of the United Steelworkers union gave Ecklund, a former Steelworkers official, their endorsement. And this week, Ecklund received a letter of support from late Representative Dill’s son, Drake Dill.
Ecklund, too, said he supports copper nickel mining. At the election forum at the Arrowhead Center for the Arts on September 16, Ecklund said, “I’m 100 percent pro-mining.”
Ecklund noted that Minnesota and the United States have the best regulatory agencies in the world. He said if those agencies say projects like PolyMet can be done without hurting the environment, “I trust the science.”
Eric Johnson, an International Falls businessman, a former Republican, now running on the DFL ticket, who describes himself as a “true moderate,” said if elected, he would not only support mining, he would seek state funding to create the “Institute of Nickel, Copper, Precious Metals Group Mining.” Johnson said such a higher educational facility would not only oversee that mining is done properly, it could train the workers needed in the mining industry of the future.
Whether or not non-ferrous/sulfide mining is the touchstone issue in this election will be determined when the votes are counted on September 29. The primary will decide who moves on as the DFL candidate in the general election on December 8 to face the GOP candidate former Ely Mayor Rob Skraba and Kelsey Johnson of Gnesen Township running as an independent.
Bring in your ballot!
The Special Primary Election for Minnesota House District 3A is Tuesday, September 29. If you have not returned your ballot yet and you are concerned about it reaching the courthouse in time, you can hand-deliver your ballot to the Cook County Auditor’s Office anytime between now and 8 p.m. on September 29.
Leave a Reply