Dear Neighbors,
I am honored to be your DFL-endorsed candidate for 52B, and I look forward to meeting many of you on the campaign trail. Already from door-knocking and calling community members, I’ve discovered I have so much in common with my neighbors. Your worries are mine — from access to quality and affordable health care, to soaring college debt, to strong and safe communities.
I am running to represent Minnesota House District 52B because I care about our community and believe that we need a leader who will tackle these issues head-on. A leader who is accessible and accountable, and who will not shy away from difficult problems or diverse perspectives.
I am ready to work for our district. I know ordinary people can make a difference, and I am ready to make a difference and strengthen our community.
We have many doors to knock, many people to talk to, and a district to flip back to blue! I look forward to what we can achieve together. Together, we can win!
About Me
I moved to this district over a decade ago. My two teenage children attended Garlough, Heritage, Friendly Hills and Sibley. I have family here, and this is our home. We are dedicated to the community and giving back to it.
The importance of public service was instilled in me by my parents. I grew up in a large, working-class family where I learned the Midwestern values we all share — of hard work and generosity of spirit. I have seven siblings, three of whom have disabilities. My parents believed in the progressive values I am campaigning on today, that we all do better when we all do better. They dedicated their home and time as foster parents. This tradition has been passed on within my family; many of my siblings and I have also been foster parents.
My dad was a Union worker, an employee of Metro Transit. One day, he didn’t come home as planned. He’d been severely injured on the job and rushed to the hospital for emergency surgery. When he finally came home, it was a different life. But with all the worrying we did about his recovery, the one thing we didn’t have to worry about was losing our home and livelihood because we had the support of his Union brothers and sisters. Had it not been for them, we’d have lost everything. Unions are under attack right now, but I am committed to standing with them as they did with me and my family all those years ago.
I’m motivated to be your representative because I remember when there was civility in politics. I want to lead by example and bring decency and respect back to office.
I’m ready to work hard on Day 1, diving into the issues that impact our community and state. When I believe in a cause, I succeed. I worked 3 jobs to put myself through law school. I’ve held senior leadership positions in the government, non-profit and private sector — most recently the Minnesota Organization on Fetal Alcohol Syndrome.
I’ve worked successfully on bipartisan initiatives to pass legislation supporting veterans, the homeless, youth with disabilities, youth in foster care, education paraprofessionals, people with Substance Use Disorders and social workers. I’ve also had the honor to be appointed to several boards by Governor Mark Dayton.
I’m a professional problem solver. I promise to be a leader focused on civility, unity and community. We are stronger together.
My Vision
Safe, healthy communities
Preventing crime and violence starts with creating inclusive communities where families can thrive. I support common sense firearm legislation for background checks to ensure we keep guns out of the hands of individuals who could pose a risk to our public safety.
Quality education for all
Access to a quality education sets the foundation for our children’s future. Minnesota’s schools, staff, programming and supportive services need to be fully funded to ensure our students are healthy and able to learn. I also support the expansion of Pre-K and access to all-day Kindergarten.
Economic growth
Access to living wage employment is critical. Working families need jobs that provide paid sick and family leave — which is why I support unions. I support removing barriers and economic opportunities for small businesses to grow and thrive.
Women’s rights and choice
Protecting women’s rights and choice is more important today than ever before. Decisions about women’s health issues need to be made by a woman in consultation with her doctor. I will work to protect the reproductive rights of women and access to family planning services.
Affordable healthcare
Access to affordable healthcare is a human right. I will support legislation that eliminates barriers to care — whether through cost containment strategies, Governor Dayton’s MinnesotaCare expansion for all or a single-payer system. This also includes improving access to mental health services and substance abuse treatment.
Accountability and transparency
Accountability and transparency in the democratic process is key. I will work to ensure the voices of families in our district are not only being heard, but amplified. Democracy requires that elected officials remain fully accountable to the communities they serve.
This content was originally published at http://www.ruthforhouse.com/