Thanks to Sen. Dean Johnson for all he did for his constituents in District 13. Unfortunately, voters who fell for the coordinated hate-mongering and misinformation over gay rights and abortion by MCCL and others, shot themselves in the foot and took away the advantages Johnson's powerful position provided to all of us.
I have been told by many who should know, that without Johnson's help, we would not have the Minnewaska Area District school here in Pope County. We were proud to have him where he was to help returning Iraq Veterans. As Senate majority leader, he excelled in making sure we maintained the best infrastructure in District 13. Johnson was poised to do even more for our District with a new democratically controlled House. That's why we Pope County voters were smart enough to choose Johnson over Gimse by nearly 1,000 votes.
As a District Township Director and Officer for Stearns, Kandiyohi and Pope, I watched in awe that as busy as he was, Johnson never missed a meeting of county-unit township officers unless his civic duty called. At the Minnesota Association of Township State Conference a few years ago, he gave what many township officials called the most motivational and inspiring invocation and opening presentation they had heard It was so moving, that township officers insisted that it be transcribed for print in the state-wide Township News for all township officers in Minnesota to read.
It's disappointing that voters actually fell for the MCCL view of how to advance the pro-life agenda on abortion. By using tactics to get voters angry enough to vote Republican, MCCL has created a worse position for the pro-life movement. Johnson was the first DFL pro-life Senate majority leader. Now there will be a new majority leader who is likely to be pro-choice. MCCL lost a huge amount of potential influence on the abortion issues.
It will be interesting to see what Gimse gives his constituents that Johnson didn't. Gimse, you have big shoes to fill, and Senator Johnson, we will miss you.
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Nancy Barsness
Cyrus
