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Neva Walker decides not
to run in 61B—
Race wide open for 61B House seat
BY DENNIS GEISINGER
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| Neva Walker is retiring
from her MN House seat. |
As of Jan. 3, two Southside politicians have officially announced
their candidacy for the District 61B Minnesota House seat that is
being vacated by retiring Rep. Neva Walker. They are Jeff Hayden,
a provider support manager for the
Hearth Connection, a Minneapolis-based organ-ization that works to
end homelessness, and Farheen Hakeem, an educator and community activist.
Minneapolis
DFL activist and field organizer for the Obama 2008 presidential campaign,
Matthea Little-Smith, who had announced for the race, has bowed out
and given her support to Hayden.
“I have decided to give my full support to the candidacy of
Jeffrey D. Hayden,” said Little-Smith in a prepared statement.
“I have known Jeff for several years and have been impressed
with his knowledge of the issues and his tireless work in the areas
of housing and economic development, advocacy for low-income families,
and the 38th Street corridor,” Little-Smith said.
“I understand the concerns of people in this district, and they
deserve a hard working and inspired voice at the Capitol,” said
Hayden in his announcement for candidacy. “I’m the person
who can advocate for them and I will work tirelessly to build a stronger
community in South Minneapolis,” Hayden said.
Hayden’s campaign platform includes providing more affordable
housing, advancing economic development, improving transportation,
and strengthening education. His political experience includes a bid
for the Minneapolis City Council in 2005, and work as an aide to Minneapolis
City Council Member Gary Schiff.
Hayden is a board member of the Minneapolis Chapter of MAD DADS and
Community Action of Minneapolis. He previously held leadership positions
with the Powderhorn Park Neighborhood Association and Bryant Neighborhood
Association. He also is a founding member of the City of Lakes Community
Land Trust, a former commissioner of the African-American Men’s
Project,
and a founding board member of the former Minnesota Renaissance
Initiative.
Green Party candidate Farheen Hakeem won 43 percent of the vote against
Hennepin County District 4 Commissioner Peter McLaughlin in 2006,
pointing out his stadium vote benefited billionaire Carl Pohlad while
basic services suffered a $19 million cut. Hakeem ran for mayor under the Green Party ban-ner
in 2005 against incumbent R.T. Rybak and McLaughlin, garnering 14
percent of the primary vote.
“The residents of 61B need to be clearly heard at the State
Capitol,” Hakeem told Southside Pride. “I’m very
passionate about jobs, economic justice, affordable housing and education,”
said Hakeem.
She said her hardcore volunteers are ready to go. “I’m
an experienced
campaigner and I’ve run against pretty tough opponents and I’ve
run without any support or money. I held my own against them [Rybak
and McLaughlin] and I think I do really well around Powderhorn Park
in particular,” Hakeem said.
She likes her chances in this race and thinks that many Democrats
will switch over and vote for her as they did in 2006.
In a race the size of a State House seat, pulling together the size
of volunteer base she drew for the County Commissioner race would
clearly make her very com-petitive against any DFL candidate. Her
basic message will play fairly
well with the residents of 61B. It becomes a matter of how well the
Green Party can organize.
Turnout is going to be extremely high as its a presidential year.
Hakeem will need to do really well around Powderhorn and in Central,
but it may all swing
around Ward 8, Precinct 10. It’s one of the highest turnout
precincts in
the city and she did not do well against McLaughlin there in 2006.
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