We are fast approaching the midterm general elections on November 8th. Members have voted to endorse six candidates on the ballot across the metro. With less than a month left, let’s go over what Twin Cities DSA will be doing over that month, and take some time to talk about our candidates.
The Month Ahead: How You Can Help
Looking forward, two races stood out to us as we considered how we can have the most impact, and build connections across the metro. To the east and the west, we have endorsed Mai Chong Xiong for Ramsey County Commissioner, and Aaron Wagner for Robbinsdale City Council. Twin Cities DSA can have an outsized influence on the results in both races.
| District, Location, and Candidate | Date & Time | Sign-Up Link |
| Ramsey County District 6, 911 Maryland Ave E, Mai Chong Xiong | Saturday, October 22nd, 10AM-1PM | tcdsa.org/maichongxiongcanvass |
| Robbinsdale Ward 4, Manor Park, Aaron Wagner | Saturday, November 5th, 12PM-2:30PM | tcdsa.org/aaronwagnercanvass |
Our Candidates: The Year so Far
Ramsey County Commissioner District 6 – TCDSA Endorsement: Mai Chong Xiong
The race for Ramsey County District 6 doesn’t have an incumbent, and is a non-partisan office, meaning the top two vote getters in the primary advance to the general. While Mai Chong Xiong received the most votes in the primary, she is now facing moderate and conservative forces aiming to consolidate against her. County Commissioner is an important role but with voters focused on the statewide races many people don’t know about Mai Chong Xiong and the opportunity to put a candidate into office to represent those who the system wasn’t built to listen to. Her opponent, Ying Vang-Pao, counts among her supporters the current Ramsey County Sheriff Bob Fletcher, State Sen. Sandra Pappas, as well as outgoing incumbent Jim McDonough, and is citing our endorsement to garner support against us. This an opportunity to build connections as Twin Cities DSA in Eastside St. Paul. Sign up to canvass for Mai Chong Xiong on Saturday, Oct. 22nd.
Robbinsdale City Council Ward 4 – TCDSA Endorsement: Aaron Wagner
In Robbinsdale Ward 4 our endorsed candidate Aaron Wagner won the primary election over incumbent Pat Backen. Both will still appear on the ballot but as of the primary, the ward had only 2,400 registered voters. We’re planning to doorknock the majority of the ward on November 5 and help put in a DSA member who will defend reproductive rights, work for a rent stabilization initiative, and believes that the working class should have the final say in how they are governed. This is also an opportunity for Twin Cities DSA to make an impact outside of the “Twin” Cities. While we are understandably concentrated in Minneapolis and St. Paul, signing up to canvass for Aaron Wagner on Saturday, Nov. 5th allows us to build up our organizing in the suburbs.
State House District 66B – TCDSA Endorsement: Athena Hollins
Rep. Athena Hollins is the incumbent for District 66B, having been elected in 2020. She ran unopposed in the primary, and while she has an opponent for the general, she won her election in 2020 handily by over 55%. A vocal supporter of the St. Paul Rent Stabilization and increased funding for public housing, she is running for re-election to the State House to continue the fight to reimagine public safety, for immediate action toward climate justice, and to make healthcare for all a reality in MN.
State Senate District 62 – TCDSA Endorsement: Omar Fateh
Sen. Omar Fateh is the incumbent for District 62, having been elected in 2020 after defeating the former incumbent Jeff Hayden. He was opposed in his 2022 primary by Shaun Laden, and won the election by 20%. Despite relentless conservative assault, including a series of attacks over the last year through both the media and in the legislature (see Twin Cities DSA’s statement), he remains committed to the people of south Minneapolis and to his Democratic Socialist values. A frequent guest at TCDSA and UMN YDSA events, we are proud to support his re-election, as he fights for a single-payer healthcare system that covers all Minnesotans, to end the privatization of our public schools, and defend fundamental rights like voting and reproductive rights.
State House District 63A – TCDSA Endorsement: Samantha Sencer-Mura
This district has been a bit of a roller coaster for our chapter, as we initially endorsed former candidate Fabian Bean for the office. Following his withdrawal from the race, he endorsed Samantha Sencer-Mura. An educator, a working mom, a local community leader, and a fourth-generation Japanese American, she is fighting for a world that meets our shared needs. That means a just transition to avoid climate catastrophe, fully funded public education that works for all young people, and a healthcare system that centers people, not profit-margins. Though slower to endorse her than Fabian Bean, many chapter members independently have been involved in supporting her campaign. This has included support against her DFL caucus opponent Yusra Arab, who had run against Minneapolis Council Member Robin Wonsley in 2021. Samantha has also frequently coordinated with TCDSA endorsed candidate Zaynab Mohamed to jointly canvass the district.
State Senate District 63 – TCDSA Endorsement: Zaynab Mohamed
Zaynab Mohamed is running in district 63. Having won her primary election by over 35%, she has worked to canvass the district and connect with the constituents she is seeking to represent since she announced. A Senior Policy Aide for Minneapolis Council Member Jason Chavez and his former campaign committee chair, she is running for a government that makes our lives easier, not harder. This includes pushing for paid family and medical leave, opposing all efforts to roll back reproductive rights, and investing in the construction of thousands of new public housing units to guarantee housing as a human right, But government will not work for us if we stand on the sidelines.
How to Vote
Election day is coming up soon on November 8th. Find your polling place at https://pollfinder.sos.state.mn.us/. You can register online until Oct 18, or at your polling place. Early in person voting is open now until November 7th, or you can request a mail-in ballot. There is no deadline to request a mail-in ballot, but you do need to allow time to both receive and return the ballot. If you’re within 14 days of the election, you may want to consider in person voting.
by Tim H., Electoral Committee Co-Chair and Treasurer of TCDSA