Mark Stefan could tip the balance in the House

Written by David Faith, SD44gop.org

The Minnesota House of Representatives is up for grabs this election. And the stakes couldn’t be higher. Just last week, DFL Governor Mark Dayton delivered a speech re-confirming three key points: (1) that raising taxes is the “acid test” (his words) of his entire administration, (2) that he is disgusted with attitudes that gave rise to the tea party, and (3) that the only thing standing in his way is the Republican legislature.

Mark Stefan is the GOP-endorsed challenger battling to topple incumbent DFLer and reliable Dayton-man John Benson in House District 44B. Stefan is in many ways the ideal candidate to bring the message of economic liberty. He’s seen the economy from the virtually every perspective, having worked variously as a small businessman, consultant, and employee. He understands how budgets work and decries the accounting tricks, such as transferring funds from education accounts to cover general expenditures, which have characterized DFL governance. His financial stance is simple and concrete: (1) A real balanced budget (no new gimmicks); and (2) a tax and regulatory environment friendly to small business.

Stefan understands that 75% of new jobs come out of small business. He’s seen how government red tape can squash fresh business ideas in their cradle. He’s seen punitive taxes and bureaucracy hurt not only business owners, but also the people they employ. Employees, after all, are the first to suffer when a business simply can’t afford the continued costs of complying with government. Anyone that has met Mark can tell you he’s committed to this race. He’s not a career politician. He’s never run for political office before. He’s in it because he genuinely believes that excessive government is creating a barrier for his children and yours and making it harder for the next generation to achieve their dreams.

Many, indeed, most House races this year will not be close. Most districts are solidly in the bag for one party or another. That means that Republicans’ ability to maintain control in the legislature and provide a counter-balance to Mark Dayton will come down to an astonishingly small number of key races in swing districts. 44B is one of those districts. Depending on which index you look at, 44B is somewhere between DFL +3 and dead even, which means it is within the margin of error under even the most pessimistic assumptions. Republicans can win here, and they’ve won here before. Mark Stefan can win this race, but he needs support. If you’re in 44B, or if you’re in a district that will not be close, one of the best things you can do this election to advance economic liberty is to support Mark Stefan in any way you can.

David Faith is Vice Chair At Large of the SD44 Republicans. This post is cross-posted from SD44gop.org.