Though she indicated her bid for re-election on July 1 by filing for office at the Freeborn County Courthouse, District 27A Rep. Robin Brown is officially announcing her intent this weekend to continue another term in the state House of Representatives.

She made the announcement at the Saturday DFL picnic at Edgewater Park, which began at 4 p.m. So far she is slated to run against Republican Erik Larsen and DFLer William Wagner, of Ellendale.

She was the officially endorsed DFL candidate in May.

“I feel that I really do understand the district,” said Brown, of Moscow Township. “And that’s the entire district — not just Albert Lea.”

Brown, who was elected to office in November of 2006, said she thinks during her time in office thus far she has made it a priority to understand her constituents.

“I think understanding the community is so very important,” she said.

“I have continued from my campaign to now of making doorknocking my summer tradition in order to keep in touch with the community.”

Politicians can send out mailings or make phone calls, but there’s “nothing like standing at the door with a constituent, right there where they feel comfortable, telling you what’s on their mind,” she said.

In addition, she thinks she has set a standard for competent legislation in this area, she said.

“We made some really hard decisions this year,” she said. “For example, the transportation bill was a hard decision to make. It’s always difficult to increase a tax. I have to pay a tax and so do my constituents.”

Some of her 2007 to 2008 legislative accomplishments include helping to secure $2.5 million in funding for the North Edgewater Park Landfill project, funding for Riverland Community College, $25 million in direct property tax relief to homeowners in the state and $10 million in new funding for roads and bridges over the next 10 years in Freeborn County, to name a few.

Serving on three different education committees, she pointed out, she helped to increase funding in a sustainable manner for special education students during her first year in office, and is currently helping to revamp the funding formula.

“What we’re trying to do is bring more fairness across the state and make funding more adequate,” Brown said. “We’re targeting dollars into priority areas.”

This legislative session, she said she is proud of the work that was done for the North Edgewater Park Landfill project — which is so important to the area.

“It was hard fought for,” she said. “We were not on the governor’s initial bonding list. It took many phone calls, e-mails, letters, but also the help of the district. I still am so thankful to the mayor and for the letters and e-mails to the governor. We worked as a community.”

For her, Brown said, concentrating on the local issues is what’s important to her.

“As quiet as I am, I think that I’ve been very productive and very competent in my service as a legislator,” she said. “I think it’s important to continue in that work.”

Along those same lines, she said she also thinks it’s important to continue developing relationships, even across party lines.

Her focus, she noted, is on competent government.

“That’s what I’m basing my campaign on,” Brown said. “Competent government takes everybody into consideration as much as possible.”

Between now and the election she will continue doorknocking all over the district in her efforts to get to know constituents and spread the word of her campaign.

Already since early June, she has knocked on 4,444 of the 10,000 houses in the district. That number includes doors in Alden, Adams, Hayward and part of Rose Creek, as well as all of Wards 1, 4 and 5 in Albert Lea.

“I think the more people I can speak to and the more people that can share their views with me, the more effective I can be,” she said.

Out on the campaign trail and usually at events, people can expect to see her in her signature yellow blazer, which she says has served her well.

“It makes people smile, people love the color, it makes me easy to pick out in a crowd and it also lets people know when I’m in their neighborhood,” Brown said. “I think that’s all good.”

She hopes people feel comfortable coming up to her or contacting her, even on her cell phone, if they have any concerns.

She and her husband, Joe, have raised six adult children who live across the Midwest, including Jeb, 28, Nathaniel, 27, Bristen, 24, Crystal, 24, Earnest, 22, and Madison, 22.

The entire family is extremely supportive, she said, and she usually talks to each one of the kids at least once weekly. Her husband has also been a great asset and support during her time in office.

“You have to have a certain kind of spouse to be successful politically,” Brown said. “He truly understands the demands on the job. In that type of relationship, it gives me the freedom to do the work I need to do to truly serve the district. I couldn’t do it without that kind of support.”

Joe is the superintendent of Grand Meadow Schools.

During the first part of the year, Brown teaches photography and art at Albert Lea High School and then takes an unpaid leave of absence during the session. She earned a bachelor of science degree in art education from Minnesota State University, Mankato, in 1996 and earned a masters in education from St. Mary’s University in 2006.

She also raises horses.