We just wrapped up our DFL listening session in Willmar, which produced some really great conversations. It is clear that we all have a lot more in common with people across this state than we think sometimes. We’re finding that the negative often rises to the top in news stories, but when you come here and you sit down and listen, you’re pleasantly surprised.
After a successful listening tour in Grand Rapids in March, a new group of us have embarked today for Willmar. We are leaving St. Paul behind with just three weeks left of session and are on our way to Western Minnesota. This time we hail from Shoreview, Hastings, Bloomington and Woodbury, and we’re all looking forward to spending some time with voters who may see things different from our own constituents.
When we left for Grand Rapids last Friday, I think the three of us weren’t quite sure what to expect. We wanted to talk to locals about what they were thinking, how they viewed St. Paul and the issues that were on the top of their minds.
On Friday we kicked off our listening tour up north by leaving St. Paul behind and caravanning up to Grand Rapids. We hail from Shoreview, Edina and Duluth, and we’ve chosen to leave our districts for a few days to begin talking to voters across Greater Minnesota.