Election Day is this Tuesday. Twin Cities DSA has endorsed two candidates, one in a local race and one in a statewide race.
Andy Dawkins, who was a DFL State Representative from 1987 to 2002, is the Green Party endorsed candidate for Attorney General. He is facing incumbent Lori Swanson, who has a number of marks against her progressive record. See Andy's campaign site for all the information. There will be an election night party for Dawkins supporters 8pm, November 4, at O'Gara's Bar and Grill in Saint Paul.
Captain Jack (CJ) Sparrow is running against long-time DFL incumbent Peter McLaughlin for the position of Hennepin County Commissioner, District 4. Besides being an almost 30-year local activist in anti-poverty and homelessness issues and a 40-plus-year supporter of economic democracy in the form of cooperatives, CJ is a member of the DSA Local. His excellent campaign platform is propounded on his blog, Occupirate. He only wears the pirate costume for special appearances and demonstrations, by the way.
We are the Twin Cities (Minneapolis-Saint Paul) local of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), the largest socialist organization in the United States, and the principal U.S. affiliate of the Socialist International. DSA's members are building progressive movements for social change while establishing an openly socialist presence in American communities and politics.
At the root of our socialism is a profound commitment to democracy, as means and end. We are activists committed not only to extending political democracy but to demanding democratic empowerment in the economy, in gender relations, and in culture. Democracy is not simply one of our political values but our means of restructuring society. Our vision is of a society in which people have a real voice in the choices and relationships that affect the entirety of our lives. We call this vision democratic socialism — a vision of a more free, democratic and humane society.