Politics & Law: Vote Edward TJ Brown - My Past & Present Campaigns

VOTE EDWARD TJ BROWN FOR MOORHEAD, MN MAYOR IN 2001
- WHY I RAN FOR PUBLIC OFFICE: I RAN FOR MOORHEAD CITY MAYOR IN 2001 WITH GOAL OF CREATING A BROAD-BASED, DIVERSE COALITION OF VOTERS WHO HAD TRADITIONALLY FELT LEFT OUT OF CITY POLITICS, I.E. STUDENTS, PEOPLE OF COLOR, RELIGIOUS MINORITES, POOR PEOPLE, DISABLED PEOPLE, LGBTQ+/ALLIED PEOPLE, ETC. THEY WERE NONPARTISAN ELECTIONS, BUT BACK THEN I THOUGHT OF MYSELF AS AN INDEPENDENT, WITH SOME CIVIL LIBERTARIAN VIEWS. NO, I DID NOT WIN. OUT OF FIVE CANDIDATES ON THE BALLOT I CAME IN FOURTH PLACE.

WHAT WERE MY CAMPAIGN ISSUES:
- MORE AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
- STRONGER LOCAL CIVIL RIGHTS PROTECTIONS FOR ALL PEOPLE.
- LEGALIZATION/TAX/REGULATION OF MARIJUANA FOR ADULTS
- LEGALIZATION/TAX/REGULATION OF SEX WORK FOR CONSENTING ADULTS

OTHER ISSUES THAT I HAD PUBLICALY SUPPORTED AT THE TIME
- ABOLISH THE U.S. ELECTORAL COLLEGE AND REPLACE IT WITH RANKED CHOICE VOTING.
- PUBLIC DEBATES SHOULD BE MORE INCLUSIVE OF THE CANDIDATES THAT THEY INCLUDE.
- RELIGIOUS FREEDOM AND THE LEGAL SEPARATION BETWEEN CHURCH AND STATE.

VOTE EDWARD TJ BROWN FOR U.S. CONGRESS IN 2024 (MN 7TH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT)

WHY I RAN FOR PUBLIC OFFICE: NOT LONG AFTER MY MAYORAL CAMPAIGN, I BEGAN TO BECOME MORE ACTIVE IN DEMOCRATIC PARTY POLITICS (DEMOCRATIC-FARMER-LABOR PARTY HERE IN MINNEOTA) AND I WANTED TO RUN FOR PARTISAN OFFICE, BUT HAD TOO MUCH ON MY PLATE AT THE TIME TO DO SO. YET, I WAS SO DISAPPOINTED WITH THE DEMOCRATIC'S CANDIDATE IN 2022 THAT I VOWED THAT I WOULD, AT THE NEXT ELECTION, AT LEAST TRY TO BE THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY NOMINEE FOR CONGRESS. I MADE LOTS OF MISTAKES ALONG THE WAY AND (DESPITE PEOPLE TELLING ME THAT I SHOULD RUN) I WAS NEVER QUITE ABLE TO SECURE FUNDING, VOLUNTEER OR RELIABLE TRANSPORTATION. AS SUCH, I HAD TO ABANDON MY CAMPAIGN.

WHAT WERE MY CAMPAIGN ISSUES: I THINK THAT I CAN BE A PRETTY GOOD DEBATOR AND THAT I COULD BE, WITH THE RIGHT CONDITIONS, A GOOD CANDIDATE. HAD I BEEN ON THE PRIMARY OR (IDEALLY) THE GENERAL ELECTION BALLOT I HAD SEVERAL ISSUES THAT I WAS GOING TO FOCUS MY CAMPAIGN ON.

THE 7TH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT IS PRETTY CONSERVATIVE (MAYBE EVEN A TAD RIGHT-WING) SO I WAS GOING TO BE PRETTY CONSERVATIVE ON GUNS, RELIGIOUS FREEDOM, SCHOOL CHOICE AND IN HAVING A FEW RESTRICTIONS ON ABORTION. AGRICULTURE PLAYS A BIG ECONOMIC ROLE IN THE DISTRICT, SO I WAS GOING TO BACK THE POPULAR FARM BILL POLICIES OF FORMER CONGRESSMAN COLIN PETERSON (A CONSERVATIVE DEMOCRAT).

I WAS GOING TO OFFER A POPULIST, PRO-REFORM MESSAGE TO VOTERS BY BACKING
- LETTING STATES ELECT CONGRESSIONAL REPRESENTATIVES USING RANKED CHOICE VOTING OR EVEN PROPORTIONAL REPRESENTATION

ESTABLISHING A REASONABLE SET OF RULES OF BALLOT ACCESS REQUIREMENTS (THE RULES THAT A QUALIFIED CANDIDATE MOST FOLLOW TO GET ON THE BALLOT) IN FEDERAL ELECTIONS, WHILE, BASICALLY, LEAVING STATE ELECTIONS UP TO THE STATES.

APPEAL TO BLUE COLLAR, UNION MEMEBRS BY BACKING A FEDERAL CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT (I HAD A DRAFT READY TO GO) THAT WOULD MAKE EXPLICIT THE RIGHT TO FORM A UNION AND BAGAIN COLLECTIVIELY.

APPEAL TO THE GROWING ETHNIC DIVERSITY IN THE DISTRICT AND ALSO TO COLLEGE STUDENTS IN THE DISTRICT BY SUPPORTING "OPPORTUNITY FOR ALL", AND BEING "TOUGH ON CRIME, AND EQUALLY TOUGH ON THE CAUSES OF CRIME.

APPEAL TO THE PROGRESSIVE DFL-ERS IN THE DISTRICT BY TALKING ABOUT A FEDERAL ROLE IN SECURING AFFORDABLE HEALTH CARE, AFFORDBALE CHILDCARE, A FAIR AND TRANSPARENT TAX SYSTEM, MY PROPOSED CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS, AND THE BASIC FACT THAT I WOULD BE A PRETTY DIVERSE CANDIDATE, DEMOGRAPHICALLY SPEAKING.

ALAS, DESPITE INITIAL INTERST, NO ONE STEPPED FORWARD TO HELP PAY THE FILING FEES (NEEDED TO GET ONTO THE PRIMARY BALLOT), NO ONE WANTED TO BE MY CAMPAIGN TREASURER (A LEGAL REQUIREMENT), THE LOCAL DFL LEADERSHIP WAS NICE, BUT ALSO A BIT...AMBIVILENT ABOUT MY CAMPAIGN AND I NEEDED RELIABLE TRANSPORTATION.

VOTE EDWARD TJ BROWN FOR MN STATE HOUSE DISTRICT 9B (2024)

I CAME VERY CLOSE TO BEING THE DFL CANDIDATE FOR THE MN STATE HOUSE DISTRICT 9B. NO ONE ELSE WANTED TO BE THE CANDIDATE -- OR THAT WAS WHAT I WAS TOLD -- AND THE PARTY WAS GOING TO LET ME SET MY OWN ISSUES, EVEN PAY THE FILING FEE. YET, AT THE LAST MINUTE, SOMEONE ELSE DID FILE FOR THE OFFICE AND THUS MY STATE HOUSE CAMPAIGN CAME TO A VERY SUDDEN END.

WILL I RUN FOR ELECTED OFFICE AGAIN? MAYBE.

I THINK I WOULD NEED TO HAVE MORE SUBSTANTIAL SUPPORT -- IN TERMS OF CAMPAIGN STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS -- BEFORE I GAVE IT SERIOUS CONSIDERATION. RIGHT NOW, I AM FINDING OTHER WAYS TO TRY AND MAKE A POSITIVE DIFFERENCE.

THE PROJECTS THAT I AM WORKING ON
MY PROPOSED LAWS/CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS.
MY VIEWS ON CURRENT EVENTS, HOT TOPICS & NOT-SO-HOT TOPICS.