| Powers realizes that he has an uphill battle. Or at least he didn't disagree with me when we talked about the last several races. He understands that the bottom line is that he's got to show that he can raise a significant amount of money. He needs the DCCC's attention ... and there's only one way to get it.
So he's busy fundraising and he says it's going well. He's also busy organizing.
He's using social media. Check out his Facebook and Twitter accounts. He realizes that he needs to connect with a wide array of people with a message that will resonant with each person. He's not only going to all the events that DFL delegates go to, he's working many channels of possible and probable delegates.
He has an aggressive strategy to reach out to students and points to headway he's made at Carleton and St. Olaf colleges. He's reached out to the Somali community based in Faribault, the Latinos in Northfield and the soccer mom's throughout the district. He's reaching out to teachers, vets through the VFW and other venues and also construction workers.
"Despite the suit I wear now," Powers said about construction workers. "I can relate to them really easily."
Compare and contrast Power and Kline on agriculture issues. Last fall I wrote about Kline not knowing that hog farmers have been getting hammered. Whereas Powers has been reaching out to them and listening to their needs.
"The subsidy system needs to change," he said. "It needs to do better by the small family farmer. And I'm not sure ethanol is such a great thing to subsidize. Corn is a major food source and I'm concerned that we use it for fuel instead of food. I think that we could move to other things."
"For example, I was talking to a guy who turns pig, turkey and chicken waste into fuel," he continued. "There's real possibility there."
Powers also believes that energy independence is a national security issue and believes that part of the solution is local.
"I want to bring jobs, green jobs, to the second district," he said. He wants to lure manufacturers building the wind turbines, solar panels and etc. to the district. The plants will employ his constituents and have a ripple effect on local economies.
Finally, Powers said that he's been getting positive responses from potential and probable delegates he's been talking to. He said that most didn't know someone was running against Kline and are glad he is.
Right now, Powers faces former state Rep. Shelley Madore for the DFL endorsement. Powers has a head start on Madore, but we'll obviously see how that shakes out after caucuses.
Remember that caucuses are February 2nd. |
