Our View: Hear from Range legislative candidates

The News Tribune’s impressive (if we do say so ourselves) lineup of candidate forums this fall kicks off Wednesday, giving Northlanders unbeatable opportunities to hear directly from those hoping to represent them in government and to learn more about the names that’ll appear on Nov. 4 Election Day ballots.
On Wednesday, News Tribune editorial board members will ask questions of Iron Range-area legislative candidates at the St. Louis County Courthouse in Virginia, beginning at 10 a.m. The public is invited to sit in and to witness this bit of the newspaper’s endorsement process and opinion-making. With back-to-back sessions, Wednesday’s forum will be held in the conference room downstairs near the sheriff’s office.
Round 1, at 10 a.m., is scheduled to include Eric Johnson, the Republican challenger for Minnesota House 3B; Justin Eichorn, the Republican challenger for Minnesota House 5B; and Rep. Tom Anzelc, the DFL incumbent for 5B. Minnesota House 3A incumbent, Rep. David Dill, DFL-Crane Lake, cannot attend the forum and has been interviewed privately by the editorial board.
Invited to round 2, at 10:45 a.m., are Roger Weber, the Republican challenger for Minnesota House 6A; Matt Matasich, the Republican challenger for Minnesota House 6B; and Rep. Jason Metsa, the DFL incumbent for 6B. DFL Rep. Carly Melin, the incumbent for 6A, also won’t able to attend the forum and was interviewed individually.
If you can’t make it to Wednesday’s forum, you can still catch it. It will be recorded by the News Tribune and posted at duluthnewstribune.com for viewing later, on-demand.
The lineup of candidate forums then continues a week from today, on Monday, Sept. 22, in the St. Louis County Courthouse in Duluth. St. Louis County Board candidates will sit shoulder to shoulder and offer their views on issues. Questions again will be posed by News Tribune editorial board members. And the public, also again, is invited to sit in, listen and learn. District 1 County Commissioner Frank Jewell, District 1 challenger Jim Booth, and District 4 candidates Christina Hujanen and Tom Rukavina all have confirmed their attendance. Like the Iron Range forum, the County Board forum will be recorded and available for viewing later, on-demand, at duluthnewstribune.com.
Three higher-profile forums also are being planned over three weeks in October. Co-sponsored by the News Tribune and the Duluth Area Chamber of Commerce, those forums are to feature candidates and incumbents for U.S. Senate, for the 8th Congressional District, and for Minnesota governor. Details will be announced soon.
That’s certainly a lot: a lot of candidates, a lot of politics, a lot of forums - and a whole lot of opportunity for Northland voters to learn more about the candidates and the races grabbing headlines this fall.