Walz thanks members for their important work MAPE's endorsed candidate for governor

Tim Walz visited the Delegate Assembly (DA) Saturday to thank MAPE members for the important and hard work they do for all Minnesotans. Walz also used his visit as an opportunity to thank members for endorsing him for governor along with his running mate, Peggy Flanagan, for lieutenant governor.

In the photo on the right, Tim Walz, MAPE's endorsed candidate for governor, speaks to delegates.

Prior to his speech to delegates, Walz went from table to table during breakfast, introducing himself and chatting one-on-one with members Saturday at the DoubleTree in Bloomington.

MAPE Statewide President Chet Jorgenson introduced Walz to delegates. “Like many of us, Tim has dedicated his life to public service,” Jorgenson said. Walz was a school teacher for nearly 20 years at Mankato West High School. He is a retired command sergeant major in the Army National Guard.

Walz has been a congressman for the past 12 years, representing a southern Minnesota district that’s only been represented by one other Democrat in the 113 years before he took office. He’s held that seat ever since because he believes in working families and ensures they have a seat at the table, Jorgenson pointed out.

In the photo on the left, from left to right, Walz talks with Lynn Butcher, co-chair of MAPE's Negotiations Committee and a Local 1901 member.

Walz was welcomed and sent off with standing ovations. His speech was periodically interrupted with enthusiastic applause.

“Thank you for those services that you do each and every day that is the true public service that sets us apart from other states,” Walz said. “The work you do is what makes Minnesota, Minnesota.

“I am here today to let you know very clearly that I understand my responsibility, should I be given the privilege of being governor of Minnesota, is to lift you up and celebrate the good work you do every day.” Walz said he is grateful for MAPE’s support and members’ attendance Saturday, “because both of those decisions were predicated on making life better for the citizens of Minnesota.”

In the photo on the right, from left to right, Walz talks with Local 501 members Maureen Dunaway and Cathy Peregrino.

He said he also understands that MAPE’s endorsement means, “Get out there and tell the truth about what we do. Get out there and advocate for us. Get out there and do the things that make our jobs easier to do, bring the joy to the jobs we do. And get out of our way and let us do the jobs …” that we know how to do as professionals.

Jorgenson said, “As state employees, we’re presented with a unique opportunity every four years. We get to elect our own boss. The MAPE-endorsed ticket of Tim Walz and Peggy Flanagan, however, provides us with another unique opportunity. We get to go out and work to elect the candidate who will break the trend of turning over the Governor’s Office after one party holds the seat for eight years, jeopardizing all the progress we’ve made under the Dayton administration. This opportunity ensures us of a governor who can and has united all of Minnesota behind issues important to organized labor and the middle class."

In the photo on the left, from left to right, Walz chats with Local 601 member Mark McLaughlin.

“Tim and Peggy have put organized labor at the heart of their campaign, championing our freedom to join together and negotiate fair working conditions and fully funding our agencies at a time when conservative corporate interests are stepping up their assault on public and private sector unions,” Jorgenson said.

Jorgenson also encouraged members to help communicate the importance of our work and this year's election to the people of Minnesota during the final weeks. He asked MAPE members to help elect a labor friendly governor and lieutenant governor, and labor friendly representatives to the state House.

Walz said there’s an solution to negative campaigning, such as what we see and hear on broadcast TV and radio, online ads and mailers. “None of those things are as effective at getting people out to vote and changing minds as people having face-to-face conversations with their neighbors.”

In the photo on the right, from left to right, MAPE member Andy Bindman, MAPE Executive Director Lina Jamoul and Walz talk as a table-full of members look on.

Walz talked briefly about the doom and gloom, and fear hanging over politics in Washington, D.C. He said that his gubernatorial opponent fully supports taking Minnesota down that same negative road. Instead of continuing to go down the negative path, Walz pointed to his vision of this election as being transformational and positive. Rather than waking up to fear from the latest tweet, he said, “Let’s create the future we want to see and let’s do it now.”

In the photo on the left, from left to right, Walz and Jorgenson talk at Saturday's DA.

Walz talked about making affordable, high quality health care available to all Minnesotans. Beyond that, “we’re not satisfied with treating diseases. We’re interested in preventing and curing diseases,” Walz said. He said that the road to discovering the cures for some of our most challenging diseases should go through Minnesota.

Walz’s opponent said during a debate that even if climate change is a reality, there’s nothing we can do about it. Walz rejected that notion and told delegates about the brighter vision he has for Minnesota.

Although climate change is an incredible threat to our planet, Walz sees it as “an opportunity beyond belief for Minnesota to lead not only this nation, but the world, in the clean energy economy, creating new jobs and opportunities while we clean our water, clean our air and leave a future to our children that we can be proud to leave them.”