Seven questions the DFL isn't asking

Here are the questions The Race for 64B submitted to the candidate forum on March 9th. As you can see, they didn't get asked at Macalester on Sunday.

But it would still be good to hear the answers:

For all candidates:

The DFL caucus in the House is typically divided into three factions: Minneapolis and its suburbs, St. Paul and its suburbs, and the Iron Range, including Duluth. A majority often requires two of the three: Minneapolis and St. Paul, or St. Paul and the Range. That's how the Vikings stadium passed: St. Paul and the Range voted for it. Given the needs of the East Metro, like redeveloping the Ford Plant and building out the Gateway Corridor, can St. Paul lawmakers afford to openly oppose copper nickel mining and risk losing allies in the Range delegation if Minneapolis won't support East Metro economic development? Are you willing to make that trade-off?

For Beth Fraser: 

You talk a lot about voting rights, and you talk often about your support of access to the democratic process. But in 2012, District 64B has some of the highest voter turnout in the state, maybe even the nation. Michael Paymar ranked 8th in vote totals in the House in the last election, and five of the seven above him were competitive races. Is moving ahead of DFLers Frank Hornstein and Paul Thissen in turnout really a priority for 64B? Why wouldn't you be a better candidate for secretary of state, where you could have a more direct impact on the issue?

For Melanie McMahon:

You're a committee administrator at the Capitol. You declared the same day your committee chairman, Michael Paymar, said he wasn't running again. He's since come out publicly in support of you. How do you respond to people to whom this looks like the machinations of Capitol insiders, or feel like the political machinery in the district excludes them if the DFL only puts you on the ballot in August?

For Matt Freeman:

Your voting record and your career show that you've worked practically all over the state.You're young and relatively new to the neighborhood and you're drawing a lot of support from outside 64B, from your family and from the mayor's office. The district already elected a former Duluth City Council member and Duluth mayoral contender. Why shouldn't 64B voters prefer someone with deeper ties to the district to succeed him?

For Dave Pinto:

You talk a lot about your work in the Ramsey County attorney's office to protect children and fight crime. These are important issues and 64B surely has some of these cases. But child abuse and neglect and sex trafficking are probably not as great a public concern in 64B that they are in other neighborhoods. You DID run for Ramsey County attorney in 2010: isn't your agenda more suited for that office, and can't you serve 64B better as a prosecutor?

For Greta Bergstrom:

You have a long history here and strong ties to the district. But you also work for TakeAction Minnesota and now have their endorsement. Their involvement has proven sometimes difficult for the DFL. Jeremiah Ellis lost in 65A in 2010, despite the party endorsement. In Minneapolis, Betsy Hodges battled to a no-endorsement with a former DFL party chair last year. Are you more than another TakeAction candidate for the Legislature? Can you give two examples a priority for 64B for you that's different from TakeAction's agenda? 

For Gloria Zaiger:

You have been very active in the DFL and in some local issues, like the city's capital budget committee and animal welfare. But you don't make a living in public policy or a related field. You haven't said much about experience working at the Capitol and its many constituencies. Why shouldn't 64B look for someone with more direct experience in state policy?