It looks like I would probably disagree with her on a couple of policy issues. However, I think they are more of a situation where I agree with her on the other 80%, so she would be a huge improvement over the current incumbent in Ward 2. I'm not a voter in Ward 2 but if I were I would clearly pick her over Robin Wonsley.
By the way, I thought this would get addressed in the interview and if it did, I missed it. The Socialists online have been for weeks talking about the fact that she is currently a Ward 5 resident and not a Ward 2 resident. I would like to see that addressed in some way - either it's not factual, or she plans to move in the near future, or what the plan is. Because at this point I don't have a reason to believe them, but of course the Socialists have their own little echo chamber, so any voter that listens to them is going to believe she's some kind of insincere disingenuous carpetbagger. They have their own narrative going so it would be nice to know what her narrative is on her residence and relationship with Ward 2 where she's running for office.
Hello Paul, thank you for listening to the interview! I appreciate your comments and will address one right now.
I live in Ward 2, these allegations that I am not a resident there are not factual. I have previously lived in Ward 5 and still own rental property there, but my residency in Ward 2 has been verified.
Rumors that I am violating Minneapolis Charter and Minnesota State Law are not only untrue and potentially damaging to my campaign, they also speak to what my opponents have against me. It’s disappointing that my opponents have chosen to focus on something untrue — but perhaps it speaks to the lack of real issues they can raise against me. I have 20 years of advocacy and support for the city of Minneapolis documented through my years in public service and I have had full time residency here since 2018.
We really need to get more serious about actually residency in Mpls. when it comes to Wards and Council Members. On a related note, is it expected that Chowdhury will actually start LIVING in W12 this year, or is the expectation that she will continue to pretend to, but live in a northern suburb? I've heard that her commute to downtown each morning takes her close enough to Vetaw's residence for LaTrisha to wave to her as she drives by... Y'know... if she wanted to...
Cam Gordon organized people for the DFL caucus even though he didn't seek the nomination. The goal was no endorsement. That is exactly what Robin is doing now. It's strategic.
Good luck running in Ward 2 as a Frey supporter. He only got 32% of first choice votes last time. Sheila and Kate received a combined 52% first choice votes. I think it's apparent that Davis and Fateh are running better campaigns than Sheila and Kate did (and will be able to raise a lot more money). I'll keep saying this: people who don't like the progressives or DSAers need to do a lot better with candidate recruitment. Shelley seems impressive and could win in a ward like 3, 4, 7, 11, or 13. But Ward 2? I just don't see any path. It's too lefty of a ward for a Frey devotee.
will be a very interesting weekend all around! Lots of key conventions happening. I'm really interested to see what happens in 5. It isn't getting nearly as much coverage but there's a big field.
I just completed a review of previous races in W2. In 2021, there were five candidates and only two sought DFL endorsement (Tom Anderson and Yusra Arab). Yusra came close but did not succeed. There is no evidence that anyone was trying to block endorsement on behalf of Cam.
In 2017, Cam was unopposed.
In 2013, Cam's one opponent was Diane Newberry, from the Socialist Workers Party.
In 2009, Cam had a Republican opponent, Allen Aigbogun.
You have to go back 20 years, to 2005, to find a DFL-endorsed W2 candidate, and that was Cara Letofsky. Cam beat her by about 2 points.
The election before that, in 2001, Cam narrowly lost to Paul Zerby, who had DFL endorsement but it was granted by the Mpls DFL Central Committee, not at the Ward convention. Zerby tried to get DFL endorsement at the W2 convention, but failed ... it went instead to incumbent Joan Campbell. It didn't do her any good ... she came in 3rd in the primary, trailing Zerby and Cam. (We had primaries in those days). After the primary, the Mpls DFL Central Committee, at the urging of the DFL State Chair, endorsed Zerby. The argument: "We have to endorse a candidate when there is a non-DFL competitor". My, how things have changed.
Ah, Cam Gordon. He just did an incredibly biased article in the Longfellow Nokomis Messenger about the Ward 12 candidates. It was almost funny. As I read it, I could hear his tone change. “Oh, look at this precious rose” for Chowdhury. “Eh, look at this here weed” for Thompson. But it wasn’t funny, because it didn’t focus on any of Becka Thompson’s qualifications and experience.
I wonder if Wonsley could win in Ward 2 if there weren’t so many students in that mix - many of whom only live here in the city temporarily.
Perhaps it is time to abandon the DFL caucus system for endorsing candidates, and adopt an "open" primary with rank choice voting... even until we get to a 60% threshold. This might be difficult without mechanized voting and computer systems in place, but at least we can dream for a better future. A least it would avoid putting up the more extreme candidates.
It looks like I would probably disagree with her on a couple of policy issues. However, I think they are more of a situation where I agree with her on the other 80%, so she would be a huge improvement over the current incumbent in Ward 2. I'm not a voter in Ward 2 but if I were I would clearly pick her over Robin Wonsley.
By the way, I thought this would get addressed in the interview and if it did, I missed it. The Socialists online have been for weeks talking about the fact that she is currently a Ward 5 resident and not a Ward 2 resident. I would like to see that addressed in some way - either it's not factual, or she plans to move in the near future, or what the plan is. Because at this point I don't have a reason to believe them, but of course the Socialists have their own little echo chamber, so any voter that listens to them is going to believe she's some kind of insincere disingenuous carpetbagger. They have their own narrative going so it would be nice to know what her narrative is on her residence and relationship with Ward 2 where she's running for office.
Thanks for the heads up. I sent your comment to her campaign manager inviting her to respond.
Hello Paul, thank you for listening to the interview! I appreciate your comments and will address one right now.
I live in Ward 2, these allegations that I am not a resident there are not factual. I have previously lived in Ward 5 and still own rental property there, but my residency in Ward 2 has been verified.
Rumors that I am violating Minneapolis Charter and Minnesota State Law are not only untrue and potentially damaging to my campaign, they also speak to what my opponents have against me. It’s disappointing that my opponents have chosen to focus on something untrue — but perhaps it speaks to the lack of real issues they can raise against me. I have 20 years of advocacy and support for the city of Minneapolis documented through my years in public service and I have had full time residency here since 2018.
I appreciate your comments!
Shelley
Thank you Shelley for putting the rumor to bed.
Thank you so much for your response. Wishing you the the best tomorrow, and going forward!
We really need to get more serious about actually residency in Mpls. when it comes to Wards and Council Members. On a related note, is it expected that Chowdhury will actually start LIVING in W12 this year, or is the expectation that she will continue to pretend to, but live in a northern suburb? I've heard that her commute to downtown each morning takes her close enough to Vetaw's residence for LaTrisha to wave to her as she drives by... Y'know... if she wanted to...
Cam Gordon organized people for the DFL caucus even though he didn't seek the nomination. The goal was no endorsement. That is exactly what Robin is doing now. It's strategic.
Good luck running in Ward 2 as a Frey supporter. He only got 32% of first choice votes last time. Sheila and Kate received a combined 52% first choice votes. I think it's apparent that Davis and Fateh are running better campaigns than Sheila and Kate did (and will be able to raise a lot more money). I'll keep saying this: people who don't like the progressives or DSAers need to do a lot better with candidate recruitment. Shelley seems impressive and could win in a ward like 3, 4, 7, 11, or 13. But Ward 2? I just don't see any path. It's too lefty of a ward for a Frey devotee.
Thanks for the background. You could be right about the ward. This weekend will be interesting.
will be a very interesting weekend all around! Lots of key conventions happening. I'm really interested to see what happens in 5. It isn't getting nearly as much coverage but there's a big field.
I just completed a review of previous races in W2. In 2021, there were five candidates and only two sought DFL endorsement (Tom Anderson and Yusra Arab). Yusra came close but did not succeed. There is no evidence that anyone was trying to block endorsement on behalf of Cam.
In 2017, Cam was unopposed.
In 2013, Cam's one opponent was Diane Newberry, from the Socialist Workers Party.
In 2009, Cam had a Republican opponent, Allen Aigbogun.
You have to go back 20 years, to 2005, to find a DFL-endorsed W2 candidate, and that was Cara Letofsky. Cam beat her by about 2 points.
The election before that, in 2001, Cam narrowly lost to Paul Zerby, who had DFL endorsement but it was granted by the Mpls DFL Central Committee, not at the Ward convention. Zerby tried to get DFL endorsement at the W2 convention, but failed ... it went instead to incumbent Joan Campbell. It didn't do her any good ... she came in 3rd in the primary, trailing Zerby and Cam. (We had primaries in those days). After the primary, the Mpls DFL Central Committee, at the urging of the DFL State Chair, endorsed Zerby. The argument: "We have to endorse a candidate when there is a non-DFL competitor". My, how things have changed.
Ah, Cam Gordon. He just did an incredibly biased article in the Longfellow Nokomis Messenger about the Ward 12 candidates. It was almost funny. As I read it, I could hear his tone change. “Oh, look at this precious rose” for Chowdhury. “Eh, look at this here weed” for Thompson. But it wasn’t funny, because it didn’t focus on any of Becka Thompson’s qualifications and experience.
I wonder if Wonsley could win in Ward 2 if there weren’t so many students in that mix - many of whom only live here in the city temporarily.
My worst nightmare is Robin Wonsley running against Trump for president. Faced with that decision, I would choose swan dive from the top of the IDS.
If I lived in Ward 2, Madore would have my vote!
Perhaps it is time to abandon the DFL caucus system for endorsing candidates, and adopt an "open" primary with rank choice voting... even until we get to a 60% threshold. This might be difficult without mechanized voting and computer systems in place, but at least we can dream for a better future. A least it would avoid putting up the more extreme candidates.