Dear John,

Let’s talk about Minnesota’s political legacy.

When they think about the left, people may think of California, or Oregon, or New York. But I reckon that when historians look back on the 20th and 21st century, they won't be able to talk about the rise of the Left without talking about Minnesota.

Since the beginning of the New Deal, Minnesota has voted for a Democratic presidential candidate in all but three elections - even amidst the political realignments of the last century. In fact, in 1984, when every other state swung for Reagan, Minnesota supported our very own Walter Mondale. Then of course there’s our progressive leaders, from Paul Wellstone to Ilhan Omar.

Over the last few years, we’ve become one of the strongest bastions for progressive politics, despite razor thin margins in the state legislature. In doing so, we’ve quietly built a simple and compelling roadmap for progressive governing:

• Invest significantly in community-sustaining institutions
• Boldly protect people’s rights

Kamala selecting our governor, Tim Walz, as her Vice Presidential candidate, reinforces something we’ve been thinking for awhile: Minnesota’s progressive movement is the rising North Star for the Democratic Party.

The credit for this doesn't rest with any individual person or organization: it rests with decades of organizing in communities and around myriad issues coming to fruition.

Here’s what we’re reading, watching and listening to this week, and how it relates to our North Star: building a Minnesota that repairs historical harms to marginal communities, invests in institutions of care for the people who live here now, and prepares us for the world we know the climate crisis will bring in the near and distant future.

1. The Evolution of Walz

Very few politicians are true allies to movements, let alone active advocates. When we do find those politicians, we need to promote and defend them as best we can, like we have for Ilhan Omar.

But by and large, elected officials need to be pushed into action by organizers. And on that front, Governor Walz has shown that he can be pushed and shifted: on gun control, on climate change, and more.

As our own Elianne Farhat put it, he has demonstrated an “ability to evolve as a political leader". Walz has stated his support for a ceasefire in Palestine, and we hope he can continue to evolve by supporting an embargo on weapons sales to Israel, to secure that ceasefire.

Months ago, when plenty of other electeds were denouncing Uncommitted voters, he said that Uncommitted voters were just asking to be heard. The question is, now that he’s Kamala’s running mate, is he listening?

2. Progressive values can win big outside of Democratic strongholds

AOC is well-known for being a down-to-earth communicator that young progressives find extremely relatable, often spending an hour on IG live breaking down our political process. We need politicians like Walz who can do the same things in swing districts, or even Republican-leaning districts. So far, he has done just that, pushing back on claims that he is too liberal with snarky responses like “What a monster! Kids are eating and having full bellies so they can go learn, and women are making their own healthcare decisions”.

Will we always agree with Walz? We haven’t in the past, and we surely won’t start now. But quoted in the same article, Elianne summed up our line very well: “We’re not electing our saviors. We’re not electing perfect people. We’re electing people who we can make hard decisions with, we can negotiate with, and who are serious about getting things done for people. And Governor Walz has shown that pretty strongly the last couple years as governor of Minnesota”

3. Federal childcare legislation

Children and parents alike deserve joyful, social lives. Universal childcare would lift stress off of parents shoulders, giving them more free time to live, while also ensuring our children have peers to play and develop with.

Our parent organizers at Minnesota United Parents (MNUP) know how life changing this would be, and that’s why they organize towards that North Star. Around the United States, the severity of the childcare crisis is becoming unignorable.

Senators Kaine (D-VA) and Britt (R-AL) recently introduced a bipartisan bill to help childcare costs around the nation. We probably don’t agree with Britt on much politically, and we certainly don’t consider this bipartisan bill a comprehensive solution. But it is a clear indication that action on childcare is nearing inevitability. We organize not just to ensure action, but to make sure its implementation aligns with our principles of prioritizing workers and families.

4. Kamala Harris’ recent embrace of rent control

Similarly, Kamala has recently been campaigning more aggressively in support of tenants’ rights and affordable housing.

Last week, we shared this article on the rise of tenant union organizing. For us, these are signs that our Duluth Tenants’ Union is on the right track as they organizers renters towards a housing ecosystem that prioritizes housing people affordably, not profits for corporate landlords and property investors.

5. TakeAction Round-Up

Winning on housing, childcare, and other issues requires three things: a movement of organizers demanding change, progressive leaders who will stand by our side and push with us, and a political majority that can be pushed to pass legislation. That’s why we:

• Organize in teams like the Duluth Tenant’s Union or MNUP
• Mobilize in primaries to elect and protect progressive champions like Ilhan Omar.
• Turnout what voters we can, where we can, even where the available candidates are more reluctant ally than aligned champion.
• Educate voters on the issues, so that they can get informed, and Take Action!

And that’s a wrap!

Send us what you’re reading, watching and listening to.

Until next time,

Mattias Lehman (he/him)
Narrative and Communications Director