Tammy Lee for Congress; 5th District

I never received so much preasure to 'tow the party line', than I have on this race. This decision wasn't about race or religion, it was about political ideology.

I respect and honor Mr. Ellison's candidacy, and he may be the 'best fit' for the district. But he is considerably removed from my moderate left of center stance. Tammy Lee is a fiscal conservative that is socially progressive. In an E-Mail exchange the other day, she stated to me that she has "committed to caucusing with the Democrats in Congress, but will cross over to vote on some small business issues and economic development". But I didn't stop there, I went to the debate last night.

I was dissapointed that Alan Fine chose to bail on the Rossi's debate. Mr Fine was running an admirable campaign and I was prepared to consider him. Even Doug Grow had some kind words for him:

To date, none of the DFLers has captured the imagination of the few paying attention to their primary race. And Fine seems to be a Republican from a more gracious time.

But than the day after the primary the Mr. Hyde came out:

Somewhere between a recital/rally he held at the Varsity Theater in Dinkytown a month ago and Keith Ellison's Tuesday night victory in the DFL primary for the Fifth District seat, Fine changed keys. In the process, he lost any claim to moderation, thoughtfulness or originality, which were just a few of the attributes I poured on him.

Back at Rossi's, I sat and watch the three candidates in attendance. It was clear to me there was only one candidate that fit my views. Towards the end of the debate, they took questions from the audience. I was fortunate to be first, and shared how my son was on deployment, and that I support him unconditionally. That I also believe we have an obligation to 'Finish the Job' in Iraq. So I asked the candidates "What actions would you take in congress to 'finish the job'. This AM's Strib shared their answers:

Asked how the United States could "finish the job" in Iraq.

Ellison said, "We need to have a discussion about: What is the job?"

Pond said the job was "the first attempted privatization of an entire country. It failed. We did not get the oil."

Lee said the United States needs a pragmatic plan to bring the troops home and to keep "our obligation to rebuild Iraq."

I was dissapointed at Mr. Ellison's dodge of the question. Although Tammy Lee's answer wasn't quite what I was hoping to hear, she at least answered the question, and recognized our obligation and commitment to leave Iraq in a respectful and responsible way.

I encourage anyone in the 5th district to take a second look at Tammy Lee's candidacy, and decide for yourself if she is a better fit for you and your political ideology. She is for me.

Flash