Brief Introduction:
Mike Newcome is running for Minnesota governor as an independent with the Forward Independence Party, motivated by a belief that partisan politics and special interests have left state government disconnected from everyday Minnesotans.
Interview Summary:
Mike Newcome is running for Minnesota governor as a candidate of the Forward Independence Party, driven by a sense that the state’s politics have drifted away from the people it’s meant to serve. A lifelong Minnesotan from White Bear Lake, Newcome comes from a family deeply rooted in civic life and public service. After building and selling a successful Twin Cities–based small business, he spent nearly a decade as a stay-at-home dad, an experience he says sharpened his understanding of the pressures families face today. He describes his candidacy as a response to what he sees as a broken, overly partisan system—one that prioritizes party agendas and special interests over practical problem-solving and the everyday needs of Minnesotans.
Newcome says he chose to run outside the Democratic and Republican parties because he believes meaningful reform is impossible within their structures. In his view, Minnesotans are pragmatic and hungry for leaders who put collaboration ahead of ideological fights. He argues that the current “winner-take-all” politics at the Capitol have left residents feeling unheard and underserved, and that an independent path allows him to focus on solutions rather than party loyalty. His campaign message emphasizes respect, civility, and substance over name-calling or political theater, framing this election as a fight for the “heart and soul” of Minnesota.
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At the core of Newcome’s platform are three main priorities. First is affordability, which he describes as a broad crisis affecting everyone from young people trying to get started to seniors struggling on fixed incomes. Second is public safety, which he says is foundational to quality of life; he proposes an early, nonpartisan public safety summit that brings together law enforcement, the courts, policymakers, and community voices to address both immediate crime concerns and long-term prevention. Third is creating a more welcoming and competitive business environment, particularly for small and mid-sized employers, who he believes are being driven away by high taxes, rigid regulations, and poorly designed mandates. Together, Newcome presents these priorities as interconnected steps toward restoring trust, stability, and opportunity across Minnesota.
P.S. I recently finished reading the book Orbital by Samatha Harvey and highly recommend it.
Publishers Weekly described Samantha Harvey’s Orbital as a “beautiful” novel following six astronauts on a nine-month mission aboard the International Space Station, focusing on their experiments with microgravity, Earth storms, and quotidian life, contrasting profound existential reflections on love, loss (like crew member Chie’s grief), and faith with mundane issues like a broken toilet, creating a “gorgeous meditation” on our fragile planet from a unique, awe-inspiring perspective.
