This election has been one to watch in District 27A. Our district is an independent district that traditionally votes for the candidate, rather than the party. The amount of money spent this year verifies our continued status as neither red nor blue — but purple.

For me, it has been interesting to watch the state DFL Party attempt to use its normal techniques in trying to label Rich Murray as an extremist who is lockstep with the party. Nothing could be further from the truth. Instead of just making a statement, however, let me give a few examples:

1. During his first year in office, I personally received phone calls from party leadership in St. Paul requesting that I push Rich Murray to take a vote for the team. Rich Murray will listen, explain why he is voting for or against a measure and then will make his vote — no surprises. While Rich is a team player, if he is asked to take a vote against his district, the answer is no. After the first year of office, I stopped getting those phone calls because they knew Rich would not play politics.

2. Rich Murray broke with many in his party over his support for long-term investments in our communities through bonding dollars.

3. Rich Murray does not accept money from Political Action Committees (zero percent of his campaign funding); Shannon Savick accepted money from 12 different PACs; funding over 20 percent of her total campaign.

4. Of those running for re-election, Rich Murray has the fifth-best record in the House for his bipartisan voting record.

5. Rich Murray was recognized by the Coalition of Greater Minnesota Cities (a pro-Greater Minnesota Organization) for his bipartisan work on behalf of our communities.

6. Rich Murray was endorsed by the Albert Lea Tribune and the Austin Post-Bulletin, mainly because of his willingness to buck the metro-centric leadership for the good of his District.

Rich Murray is the strong voice we need in St. Paul to make southern Minnesota an even better place to live. Vote Rich Murray on Nov. 6.

 

Matt Benda

Albert Lea