Dakota Beacon

I recently had a conversation with the regional director of a national tea party organization. He told me that they have a strict policy of never endorsing a single candidate. I asked him why. He explained that his group believes that they would be held responsible if their candidate were elected and then betrayed the principles of the organization. “But how do you have any effect? Our elected officials are our only conduit to our government,” I asked. He said that they try to inform and educate voters about issues and principles.

The problem with this idea is that the voter in the voting booth is not confronted with a list of policies or issues or principles. He is looking at a list of names. Voters come in two types – decided and undecided. Those who have decided before they go to vote probably know which candidates support the positions they support. The undecided voter, however, is just looking at names. Is the name familiar? Is it unknown? That voter might believe firmly in the right to life or in smaller government or less spending, or maybe is worried about national defense or over-regulation or the economy. He might not necessarily know which candidate is most likely to represent his beliefs. This is where an endorsement from a group or entity who is a “known quantity” can be very helpful.

If a candidate is elected and then disappoints those who supported him, there is the option of withdrawing that support, or communicating to him that his vote on a bill was disapproved by people who had supported him. It might make a tremendous difference in the long-term performance of that elected candidate. If not, the endorser can always support a challenger in the next election. None of us has a crystal ball. But we can tell who would be less likely or more likely to support our principles in the real world of government – where it counts.

Therefore, our own independent tea party organization has decided to endorse the following candidates for office, believing them to be the best and most likely to support our principles.

In North Dakota, for Governor and Lt. Governor, Paul Sorum and running mate Michael Coachman. The VTPCC has consistently supported Sorum because he understands the importance of reducing the size and cost of government and taxes, and encouraging free enterprise in North Dakota. He also supports the right to life and parents’ rights in the education of their children as well as property rights, consistent with North Dakota values.

For U.S. Congress, Kevin Cramer. Our organization was the first to ask Cramer to consider running for Congress. Cramer has proven himself through years of service to the state, currently as Public Service Commissioner. He believes in the need for development of North Dakota energy as well as conservative principles of smaller government and a return to the Constitution.

For U.S. Senate, Rick Berg, although we are concerned with his vote in favor of raising the debt ceiling and with his vote for the National Defense Authorization Act, the latter on Constitutional grounds. That said, Berg is far preferable for the U.S. Senate to his opponent, Heidi Heitkamp.   A vote for Heitkamp, would be a vote for Obamacare and other failed policies of the Obama administration and her election would support the continued role of Harry Reid as Senate Majority leader, all of which would be detrimental to our country’s future.

For N.D. State Senate, David Waterman in District 18 and Mike Peterson in District 42, and for N. D. House, Dane Ferguson in District 18, all local entrepreneurs.  Other North Dakota candidates who were endorsed are Kelly Schmidt, State Treasurer, Randy Christman, for Public Service Commission, Adam Hamm, Insurance Commissioner, Kirsten Baesler, Superintendent of Public Instruction.

Our Minnesota endorsements are: Kurt Bills for U.S. Senate. A vote for Bills’ opponent, Amy Klobuchar, is also a vote for Harry Reid and for Obamacare. This has been devastating for the medical industry in Minnesota and the Obama/Reid/Klobuchar support of over-regulation has strangled the industries of Northwest Minnesota as well.

For U.S. Congress, Lee Byberg. Byberg is challenging veteran Collin Peterson, who now supports Obamacare and has thus lost the right-to-life vote.

For Minnesota Supreme Court, we are enthusiastically endorsing Tim TInglestad and Dan Griffith, both sound proponents of our Constitution and both of whom reject the idea of judicial activism.

For Minnesota House, District 1B (including Polk County), Deb Kiel.

Perhaps none of our choices is infallible, but we believe that they represent our best opportunity this year to help return America to its founding principles, restore our ailing economy and repair our damaged national defenses.

To that end we offer the endorsements herein and urge that those who love freedom and our country VOTE on November 6 and get your friends and families to the polls. We are facing serious threats to our freedom. We must elect people who are most likely to oppose these challenges – things like border violations and drug cartels, the United Nations efforts to control us, things like the Small Arms Treaty, Agenda 21 and the UN’s threats to our parental rights in our own nation. These and other issues need our urgent attention. Together we can fix this and start on the road to real recovery.