One local man is stepping to the plate to offer a message of change in the race for the U.S. Senate seat held by Republican incumbent Sen. Norm Coleman.

The man, Charles Aldridge, 51, of Alden, is running as a Libertarian against Coleman and Democrat Al Franken.

He said he tried running a couple years ago for the same party, but somehow didn’t get the required number of signatures to get through.

This year, however, he obtained the required amount of signatures — 2,000 — and officially filed for office July 14.

Aldridge said he thinks the government is doing many things that are counterproductive, and he has a list of five key topics he is trying to get out.

He said he thinks the United States should drill for more domestic oil, should stop subsidies for corn-based ethanol and should stop federal taxes and fees on renewable energy for five years. If this country could cut down on the price of energy, it could cut down the price of everything else.

He said he also thinks the United States should restrict affordable rate mortgages so that only real estate investors can get them and that this country should stop the federal funding of child support.

He is against the war in Iraq, he said.

“I don’t think we should have gone in the first place,” he said. “We should leave as soon as the ruling party would like us to. We should be there at their request not setting demands on when we leave.”

These are just a few of the messages he hopes to get out, Aldridge said.

He served in the Air Force from 1976 to 1980 in aviation electronics and graduated with a bachelor of science degree in industrial engineering in 1986. He currently works for Aerospace Systems in Blue Earth.

As the election draws closer, he said he is working about making a name for himself, including getting his message out on radio programs and in newspapers. He said he thinks once people hear him on the radio, others will want to try and get him on too.

Aldridge said right now he doesn’t have any major contributions to his campaign but he wanted people to know he will not change his stances just to get them.

He said he thinks taxes are too high and he wishes the government could let the people keep more of their money so they won’t feel burdened.

Aldridge moved back to Alden about a year ago from New Prague after he purchased a house on foreclosure for only $17,000.

He has two brothers and two sisters and has three children who are 21, 19 and 18. He volunteered for the Bishop’s storehouse, a food shelf, for six months last year, and is also a member of the Just Food Co-op in Northfield.