Allen and Dziedzic won Special Primary Election

Minneapolis Legislative Delegation could go up from 8 women to 10 women if they made the cut in January Special Election and one of those district will be all woman legislative delegation.

Susan Allen won primary in House District 61B when Kari Dziedzic emerged as winner in all men race in senate district 59 replacing Senator Larry Pogemiller who resigned to work for Dayton Administration. They are advancing to Special General Election which will be held on January 10, 2012.

Result for State Senate (winners are underlined and in bold letters):

NAME                                  TOTAL

Brian Schwanke                38
Peter Wagenius                1089
Jacob Frey                          473
Kari Dziedzic                      1965
Paul Ostrow                       792
Alicia Frosch                      36
Mohamud Noor                1626

Result for House District 61B

NAME                                  TOTAL

Josh Bassais                       25
Nelson Inz                          63
Paul Dennis                        32
Susan Allen                       550

SPECIAL ELECTION CANDIDATE PROFILE: Public Servant want to make comeback and aiming for higher office. Paul Ostrow is running for State Senate

Former Minneapolis City Council President Paul Ostrow want to run for State Senate on grassroots level, refuse to accept contributions from lobbyists as he have done in the past. He was on Minneapolis City Council from 1998 until 2009 representing First Ward but served as Council President from 2002 until 2005.

His issues are: Campaign Finance Law, Education, and is in favor of new stadium for Minnesota Vikings.

Candidate Information: 

Name: Paul Ostrow

Political Party: DFL

Age: Unknown

Home: Minneapolis

Family: Wife, Julie Mattson Ostrow; Two children, Matthew and Emily

Occupation: Assistant Anoka County Attorney

Education:  University of Minnesota Law School and St. Olaf College

Endorsements: Unknown

Contact information: 

Website: http://ostrowforsenate.com/

SPECIAL ELECTION CANDIDATE PROFILE: Former Wellstone Staffer wants to move on to State Capitol from County Courthouse, Kari Dziedzic want to replace Pogemiller

Daughter of Former Minneapolis Alderman and Park Board Member Walter Dziedzic is only woman out of all man candidates vying for State Senate seat that is vacated by Larry Pogemiller. She would be first woman to represent the area if she made the cut.

Her issues are: Infrastructure, Education, Environment/Clean Water, Equal Rights, neighborhoods/Affordable Housing, Property Taxes, Protecting the Safety Net, Public Safety, Opposes new stadium for Vikings.

Candidate Information: 

Name: Kari Dziedzic

Political Party: DFL

Age: Unknown

Home: Minneapolis

Family: Single

Occupation: Policy Aide for Hennepin County Commissioner Mark Stenglein

Education:  University of Minnesota Institute of Technology

Endorsements: Women Winning, Minneapolis Firefighters Local 82, Minneapolis Building and Construction Trades,  MN Professional Firefighters, Teamsters Joint Council 32, Police Officers' Federation of Minneapolis

Contact information: 

Website: http://www.kariforsenate.com/

Twitter: @Kari4Senate

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Kari-Dziedzic-for-Minnesota-State-Senate/102373066543665?sk=wall

SPECIAL ELECTION CANDIDATE PROFILE: Policy Wonk wants to move on to next level from City Hall to State Capitol, Peter Wagenius want to be State Senator this time

Former Senate Staffer, Son of State Representative Jean Wagenius, and Mayoral Aide to RT Rybak, Peter Wagenius is one of early candidate that jumped into Special Senate Election besides Jacob Frey. He lives with his new wife, Mandy are restoring their 122 years old house in Prospect Park Neighborhood. He has been recognized in the media as a top campaign strategist by helping candidates winning offices and is very active in DFL party..

His issues are: Tax Fairness, Honest Budget, Public Safety, E-12 Education, Higher Education, Transit, Environment, Equal Rights, and Clean Open Elections.

When he is not campaigning or working, he loves to go out on bike rides, he likes watching classic movies at The Heights, swing dancing, and restoring old furniture.

Candidate Information: 

Name: Peter Wagenius

Political Party: DFL

Age: 40

Home: Minneapolis (14 years in district)

Family: Wife Mandy

Occupation: Policy Director for Minneapolis Mayor’s Office

Education:  Unknown

Endorsements: Sierra Club

Contact information: 

Website: http://www.peterwagenius.org/

Twitter: @PeterWagenius

TONIGHT'S SPECIAL ELECTION FORUM IN SENATE DISTRICT 59

If you are a political junkie and have nothing to do tonight or are paying attention to latest special election, here is something that you could do tonight.

The 2011 State Senate Special Election Candidate Forum is a DFL event for the six DFL candidates on the December 6, 2011 DFL primary election ballot. The candidates will respond to questions and address the public prior to the primary election at this event. The Forum is intended to inform, educate and empower the public to make an informed decision in the upcoming primary election. The agenda will include a variety of questions and information of public interest. The Forum is free and open to the public. 

Live Streaming 

The Forum will be streamed live on The UpTake at: http://www.theuptake.org/ 

The content will be available for online on-demand viewing from The UpTake and via the Senate 

District 59 DFL web site. 

Please check the Senate District 59 DFL web site after November 15, 2011 for further details: 

http://www.sd-59.org 

Event Details: 

DATE:   Wednesday November 30, 2011 

TIME:   6:30PM – 9:00PM 

LOCATION:  Sheridan Arts Magnet School Auditorium 

   1201 University Ave. NE • Minneapolis, MN 55413 

   (Corner of Broadway ST NE and University Ave NE)

PARKING:  Limited parking is available in the rear parking lot + along 4th ST NE, and 

adjacent to the school in legal neighborhood spaces

ACCESSIBILITY: The site is fully accessible and there will be CART services for Deaf people who are going.

BUS ACCESS: The site is on a regular bus line 

SPECIAL ELECTION CANDIDATE PROFILE: FIRST SOMILIAN CANDIDATE FOR STATE OFFICE

There is a Somilian Immigrant running for State Senate to replace Senator Larry Pogemiller who resigned to get a job with Gov. Mark Dayton’s Administration. Mohamud Noor lives in Northeast Minneapolis with wife and three kids.  If he is elected to Senate then he would be first Somali to be elected to Minnesota Legislature. According to his website, his issues are Jobs, Tax Fairness, Marriage and he thinks that building stadium is not biggest concern.

His primary opponents are Jacob Frey and Peter Wagenius. He used to be in MAPE due to his job as IT but had to resign to focus on campaign. He served two terms on Council of Black Minnesotans.

Name: Mohamud Noor

Political Party: DFL

Age: Unknown

Home: Minneapolis

Family: Farhiya Del and 3 children

Occupation: Used to be IT but now running for State Senate

Website: http://www.noorforsenate.org/