Northfield's Ganey Seeking Congressional Run Against Kline

Patrick Ganey, the second-year Northfield city councilor who this week  of the Minnesta Senate District 20B , has declared his intent to seek the DFL's endorsement for Minnesota's 2nd Congressional District.

Congressman John Kline (R-Lakeville) has represented the district, which includes Apple Valley, since 2003.

The following is a press release sent to Northfield Patch:

I am announcing that I will seek the DFL endorsement to represent Minnesota’s 2nd Congressional district in the United States House of Representatives.  Many of the issues that affect our lives are a result of decisions made in Washington, DC, and strong representation will benefit the citizens in this district.  Residents and businesses will benefit from a representative who will listen to local concerns and advocate for policies that strengthen our community, state, and nation.

I currently serve on the Northfield City Council and I have brought to that position the skills and willingness to listen, deliberate, compromise, and make decisions that positively affect our community.  I served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Thailand and subsequently worked for Peace Corps as a recruiter and public affairs specialist for a five-state region in the upper Midwest.  Since 2003, I have worked in the division of external relations at Carleton College, where I am a development officer. 

I will support education and work to ensure that it is available for every American, from the stay-at-home mother who prepares to re-enter the workforce to the returning veteran who wants to make a seamless transition from military to civilian life.  We need to invest in our young children and also make sure that every college-bound student can afford it.  We must support the young entrepreneur and the mid-career professional who have the bold ideas for a new business, and make sure they are not thwarted by a lack of local infrastructure or a lack of health care coverage. 

Our representative democracy calls upon its citizens to stand and be active participants in the development of law and policy.  Ours is not a government that asks its elected officials to become career politicians; instead, regular citizens can add their voice to the debates that shape our nation’s future.  I hope to serve the people of Minnesota’s 2nd Congressional district as a representative in the United States Congress.