Minnesota NOW Times

MN NOW PAC Rates Candidates for November Elections

The Minnesota NOW PAC (Political Action Committee) has had a busy election season this year. We held two fundraisers in the spring and have been rating candidates all summer. So far this year the Minnesota NOW PAC has reviewed more than 40 candidate questionnaires and given away more than $1,800 to Minnesota candidates.

Due to continued interest in serving on the PAC, the Minnesota NOW State Board changed our Standing Rules to allow alternate seats on the PAC. We now have eight seats on the PAC, plus the two State officers, President and Legislative Coordinator, and we can have up to eight alternates. Alternates are encouraged to come to meetings and are allowed to vote in place of an absent PAC member. We currently have seven open alternate slots and encourage interested members to sign up.

The following is a list of candidates that the MN NOW PAC has rated in 2000. Candidates who are no longer on the ballot due to withdrawal from the race or losing the primary are noted with an asterisk.

Candidates are rated on:
Six Core Issues: Constitutional Equality Amendment (ERA), Reproductive Rights, LGBT Rights, Eliminating Racism, Freedom From Violence, Opposition to Punitive Welfare Reform.
Platform Issues: All other issues defined by Minnesota NOW's Legislative Committee.
Our Issues: Core Issues + Platform Issues.

Ratings are:
A - Endorsed: Solid on all six core issues, good on all of platform issues and takes leadership on our issues.
B - Supported: Upholds five of the six core issues and takes leadership on our issues or is solid on all six core issues and has not demonstrated leadership on our issues.
C - Fair: Supports four of the six core issues and is mixed on platform issues.
D - Rejected: Opposed to two or more of the six core issues.
F - Failed: Opposed to two or more of the six core issues and/or takes prominent leadership in opposition to any of our issues.

Minnesota Senate

Candidate-District-Rating
Neef, Dale 43 B
Foley, Leo 49 B
Krueger, William 53 C
Berglin, Linda 61 A
Cohen, Dick 64 A
Lourey, Becky 8 A

House of Representatives

Candidate-District-Rating
Anderson, Cyndi 11A A
Sweetland, Doug 21A B
Speer, Katherine 29B A
Johnson, Cheryl 33A B
Traub, Lauri 37B B
Folliard, Betty 44A A
Luther, Darlene 47A A
Stevens, Vince 50B C
Johnson, Joellen 53A A
Greiling, Mindy 54B B
Irish, Joshua 55A C
Basham, Michelle* 58A A
Dibble, Scott 60B A
Thoman, Rebecca* 60B A
Clark, Karen 61A A
Walker, Neva 61B B
Davnie, Jim 62A A
Frederickson, Mark 30B A
Eland, Marcia 43A B
Koskinen, Luanne 49B A

Local Races

Candidate Race Rating
Masin, Sandra Eagan* City Council B
Rettler, Tricia Inver Grove Heights City Council A
Reinhardt, Victoria Ramsey County Commissioner A
Staley, Deb Spring Valley Mayor A
Wiessner, Jan Parker Ramsey County Commissioner A

National NOW PAC ratings in Minnesota
National NOW PAC has endorsed three candidates for federal office in
Minnesota, Betty McCollum, Mary Rieder, and Martin Sabo.

Betty McCollum is running as a DFL candidate in the Fourth Congressional
District in Minnesota. This seat is being vacated by incumbent Bruce
Vento. McCollum recently won a primary election in the Fourth District and
will run in the general election against Independence Party candidate Tom
Foley and Republican Linda Runbeck.

National NOW PAC has also endorsed Mary Rieder for Congress in the First
District in Minnesota. Rieder, a DFL candidate, is running against
incumbent Republican Gil Gutknecht. Rieder challenged Gutknecht in 1998
and came close to unseating the incumbent.

National NOW PAC has also endorsed Congressman Martin Sabo in the Fifth
Congressional District in Minnesota. The National NOW PAC has endorsed
Sabo in previous elections. Sabo is a long time DFL incumbent in the Fifth
District.