Editorial: McFadden is the choice for U.S. Senate

If Mike McFadden brings the enthusiasm and focus to the U.S. Senate that he has brought to his candidacy, Minnesotans will be well served. Republican McFadden is challenging first-term Sen. Al Franken, D-Minn., and on balance the challenger is making the case for change.

That’s not to say Franken has been wrong at every turn, as Mc-Fadden would have Minnesotans believe. If the challenger persists in that sort of hyperbole, his credibility will erode.

Nonetheless, McFadden’s conservative recipe for Senate service comports well with the needs of Minnesota and the nation in the 21st century. His success in the private sector, while not necessarily a requirement for public office, is an impressive tool in his public policy kit. His dedication to education - including work in Minnesota to demonstrate what can be done if student-centered policies are implemented - can inform his Senate service.

McFadden also has a sensible view of government intervention in the marketplace, describing Franken’s approach as in sync with President Barack Obama’s “regressive regulation.” That theme should resonate with Minnesotans, who frequently have seen responsible development slowed or killed by an onerous state/federal regulatory regime.

For his part, Franken happily identifies with the late Sen. Paul Wellstone, D-Minn., who was among the most liberal members of the Senate. Minnesotans should ask themselves if they are OK with a senator who is a feather in the far left wing of his party.

McFadden is a conservative who embodies intelligent pragmatism. He understands that divided government requires compromise. He rejects labels, and embraces a political “big tent,” which refl ects the best of Minnesota’s political tradition. In that spirit he would serve honorably in the U.S. Senate.

This endorsement was determined by Forum Communications Co. management.