James Ramstad; 3rd District Congress

As long as I have managed to tick off a swath of the far left fringe of the DFL, I may as well get this one out of the way.

I made a commitment to myself that I would evaluate each candidate, and support the more moderate of them unless there was a compelling issue or even an electability concern. In the third, it is clear who is the more moderate candidate, and his seniority will continue to be of value to his constituents. That person is 3rd district Congressman James Ramstad, and this left leaning moderate has no problems endorsing him.

Look at his record. A true moderate who is strong on the Arts, and Animals; tight with the purse strings, and isn't afraid to cast a vote that may go against his party's leadership. Ramstad received a 100% rating from the NEA in 2005, a rating shared by more Democrats than Republicans. Ironically, some of the issues we differ on are where he moderates to the Left, like Gun control. But we must balance out all stances one has on the issues and support the candidate who most closely mirrors our own personal views. In this case that answer is clear, Jim Ramstad.

Flash