Consider the source

When you're a virtual house organ of the DFL party, endorsements are less about vetting candidates and more about turning Minnesota blue.

Case in point: the Star Tribune's endorsements in the west metro. In seven races, the newspaper endorsed two Republicans: one who had no DFL challenger, the other a city council member whose DFL opponent has zero experience in elective office. For the five remaining races, the paper endorsed two DFL incumbents and three DFLers running for open seats.

Yawn.

The Strib saved its biggest brush-off of Republican candidates for Judy Johnson, who is challenging Sen. Terri Bonoff (DFL-Minnetonka), a newcomer to elective office until last year's SD 43 special election. The Strib portrays Bonoff with "a winning, enthusiastic manner," while pinning Johnson and her campaign with "an unfortunate fragrance of vendetta...bitterness and innuendo."

Anyone who has worked with Johnson during her past ten years on the nonpartisan Plymouth City Council and as mayor, on either or both of her campaigns for state Senate, League of Minnesota Cities board member and president, parent volunteer in the Wayzata Schools, and practically countless other roles serving the community and state, even Terri Bonoff must recognize the Strib's characterizations for what they are: a smear.

Republican Bill Cullen would take his ideas of limited government "further in that direction than District 42A's representative ought to go." One wonders how far such ideas should go, in the Strib's view? Can you say "Twins stadium?" How about "light rail?" "Constitutionally mandated funding for the arts?"

The Strib condescendingly predicts that Republican Dave Johnson "would be a junior player at the Capitol for some time." Apparently the Strib missed Johnson's debates with his DFL opponent in HD 43B, John Benson. I think that Johnson would more than hold his own from the floor of the House to committee hearing rooms.

The Strib thinks that HD 43A candidate Sarah Anderson's ideas "appear to spring right out of the state GOP platform." Oops, I guess Anderson should have been reading the state DFL platform instead!

In the end, these elections will be decided by the voters, not by the liberal media. West metro Republicans have a slate of candidates that offer a clear choice for smaller government, lower taxes, free markets, education that is accountable to parents and taxpayers (rather than teachers unions), strong families, secure borders, and liberty. With the entire Legislature up for election this year, the course of our state will be decided by those who show up and vote next Tuesday.

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