Posting as Minnesota Citizen Lobbyist, Mankato child care center owner Elizabeth Bangert, a resident of St. Peter, first announced her intention to run for Senate 19 in a Facebook video, following a review of the opening day of the Minnesota House:
At the beginning of the clip, she is positive about Mazeppa House New Republican Steve Drazkowski's notion of having the legislature meeting every other year, then mentions the prayer service in the Rotund, before announcing her bid. [update] It's unclear from her announcements whether the conservative activist will run as a Republican or without party affiliation.[end update]
[Update 2/14] We asked Bangert if she planned to run as with party affiliation. She will be filing as a Republican, according to her response via Facebook Messenger:
. . .Once I officially file - as I am going the petition route and working on signatures - it will be as a Republican. [end update]
The seat is currently held by Nick Frentz, DFL-North Mankato, who was recently named Assistant Minority Leader for the DFL Senate Caucus.
She doesn't want any campaign contributions and won't use the state political contribution refund program. She notes that a degree in political science isn't needed to run for office--indeed, that anyone can run. While she downplays education, Bangert's Linkedin profile demonstrates that she's no slouch. With an undergraduate degree in education from Martin Luther College, she later earned a Master's in Educational Leadership from Minnesota State University at Mankato.
If she "wants to spend or receive $750 to get elected" (page 5), she'll have to register a campaign committee with the Minnesota Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board. She intends to use the petition system to file for the office itself.
Citizens who engage with the state legislature without pay from an registered association are not required to register with the Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board.
On her newly created Bangert for Senate Facebook page, two posts clearly establish her brand:
Bluestem believes that brand is clearly within the House New Republican Caucus philosophy. If posts on the Minnesota Citizen Lobbyist page are any indication, she's also a budding anti-vaxxer:
Bangert has had a frequent letter writer to the Mankato Free Press and subject for its coverage:
My View: Wondering why there is a double standard? Me too.
DFL missed opportunity on day care
My View: “What Happened?” Minnesota Republicans pandered
In the latter letter, she writes:
As I watched the numbers come in that night, I had a sinking feeling in my stomach. District by district we began to lose seats in the House. As I looked around the room that night in the Mankato Event Center, the reason for the extreme loss was not lost on me. No, my friends had been pointing it out for quite some time.
You see, I’m unfortunately what some may refer to as a rarity — an early 30s, outspoken, female, small business owner … who is conservative. Not the “norm” for sure, especially in our area.
But nothing could provide a better illustration of the Republican red wave of obliteration better than the announcement that four Republicans formed a new caucus. People keep referring to them as the “renegade four.” I have my own opinion and thoughts on the matter, but first, some background is necessary.
I’m an average citizen. I happen to own a business and I happened to compile public data into an over 3,000-page report regarding the train wreck that is the Department of Human Services in this state. But until last April, I was never involved in political organizing. And honestly, that is most voters. They aren’t going to become heavily invested in the inner workings of the GOP and no amount of yelling at them will convince them otherwise, they just want someone to stand up for their constitutional rights — all of them.
I spent February right up to election night in a baptism by fire learning about BPOUs (Basic Political Operating Unit — which is the lowest level of political organization) and other political organizations. I will be the first to admit I have a lot to learn, but I also believe an outside perspective is good. But again, the average voter doesn’t know what a BPOU is and honestly, they don’t care.
So, let’s get down to the heart of the matter. What happened?
What happened is we failed to organize. We failed in messaging. We failed to inspire people to get out and vote. And the reason to me is very simple.
We have become a party of panderers. That may seem harsh, but it’s honest.
I spent more than 30 days at the Capitol fighting against over-regulation of my private business — child care. What I learned in those 30 days is the difference between leadership and a dictatorship. The topic of child care is in the news cycle on a continual basis across the state. We have a child care crisis. Some believe the government should step in while I believe, and the public data would support, that the government is actually the problem. Shocking, I know.
Amid this I thought if I brought data up to the Capitol, lawmakers would welcome the solution to the child care crisis. Spoiler alert, I was wrong. The only legislation that passed were things that were part of the federal funding guidelines for the Child Care Assistance Program — no broad sweeping reform. And it all comes down to leadership.
I honestly was shocked that with control of the House and Senate nothing occurred, even with hard data. I soon realized that what happened in St. Paul was vastly different then what we are sold.
So, as I sat in that room the night of the election, it wasn’t a surprise to me. I wasn’t shocked that we lost.
The Republican Party is at a crossroads. It can continue on in its current manner, but the party will eventually fade into a sunset of ashes and become obsolete.
The party needs to cease with the pandering. Friends and clientele who shared with me why they did not vote each voiced a similar statement, “I’m more conservative but they (the GOP) aren’t really standing up for my rights anymore, so what’s the point?”
And there you have it. We failed to inspire anyone. Take a look at the Republican legislation that continues to be presented. It is often representative of the metro area and not greater Minnesota. But above all, it often shadows the more liberal perspectives in a “liberal-light” approach that says, “If I give you $90 of my $100, you won’t take the other $10” and then sheepishly asks “…right?”.
(Insert palm to the face and sigh)
If you’re wondering what happened this election cycle, look no further than your own party. And maybe we can start calling the “Rogue Four” the “Fab Four,” because the party may have reappointed Rep. Kurt Daudt to the leadership role in the House, but in my opinion we need a leadership change — no Daudt.
Elizabeth Bangert is the owner of Here We Grow Early Childhood Center and founder of Minnesota Citizen Lobbyist. She and her husband reside in St. Peter.
She's also a blogger at Confessions of an Ex Almost Overachiever, wherein she definitively discloses both opinion and life history. She can be followed on twitter at @EJBangert.
About the District
According to election results online at the Minnesota Secretary of State's office, Nick Frentz won the Senate 19 seat in 2016 with 56.11% of the vote. Republican Willa Dailey received 36.93%, with Libertarian candidate Shane Wernsing garnered 6.86% of the ballots.
President Donald Trump won the Nicollet County/North Mankato 19A side of the district that year, while Hillary Clinton captured the Mankato 19B side, although DFLers captured all the down ballot races on both sides. [Update 2/14: a reader notes, "I notice that you indicate 19A and 19B differed in 2016 with regard to which presidential candidate was in first place. It might be helpful to note that Clinton's margin in 19B was larger than Trump's in 19A, such that for SD19 as a whole, Clinton received more votes." [end update]
In 2018, 19A and 19B were solid DFL, from the federal races for Senate and the First Congressional District to Minnesota House and state Constitutional offices.
MinnPost's Who’s running for the Minnesota Legislature in 2020 does not list an opponent for first term incumbent Frentz.
Photo: Bangert at the Minnesota Capitol. Via Mankato Free Press.
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