Karin Housley for Senate

I must say, an Endorsing Convention is quite the experience! If you’ve never been, you must go! It’s a lesson in local politics. It’s at the endorsing convention where delegates get to endorse their candidates for the Senate and the House, and vote their delegates on to the State and Congressional Districts. Saturday Feb. 27th will go down as my first convention, and there are a lot of things I’d do differently next time…most importantly, I’d buy more coffee for the attendees! I’m not sure if “Do you consume mass quantities of java?” will be on the 2010 Census, but it doesn’t really matter, I already have the answer, Republicans like their coffee.

Here’s how the day went:

5:00 a.m. Get ready, load 6’ table, signs, coffee, donuts, cameras & informational pamphlets in car.

7:00 a.m. – Leave home for South St. Paul High School.

7:30 a.m. – Unload car. Drink cup of coffee, and start greeting.

7:45 a.m. – 9:00 a.m. – Registrations and the Meet & Greet. I met so many interesting people from Hastings, Cottage Grove, So. St. Paul & the surrounding areas. Got names of volunteers and a couple of photos. (Hint: Want to help? Sign in your yard? Donate?) 

Morning Meet & Greet

Signing Up Linda to Volunteer

My new best friends

Then it was time for the meeting in the auditorium – Mind you, the South St. Paul High School auditorium holds a lot of history for me. Being that I graduated from SSP, the auditorium was where this cute redhead asked me out on our first date. I ended up marrying him and it’s been 25 years. Also, the auditorium stage was the site of my last band concert in 1982, I could play a mean flute. And then, directly behind the stage’s curtain, is a basketball court that my dad both played on during his high school years (1951-53), coached on (70s & 80s) and I cheered on. Being back in the auditorium was a little surreal.

At 9:00 the delegates got down to business with an agenda that looked like this:

1. CALL TO ORDER 

2. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.

3. INVOCATION  

4. GUESTS & SPEAKERS.

5. WELCOME. READING OF CONVENTION CALL.

Motion to dispense with the reading of the call is in order.

6. NOMINATION & ELECTION OF TEMPORARY CHAIR. (JASON FOSSUM)

7. APPROVE CONVENTION AGENDA.

Motion to Adopt is in order.

8. PRELIMINARY CREDENTIALS COMMITTEE REPORT – QUORUM.

..

13. CHAIR APPOINTMENTS OF THE FOLLOWING COMMITTEES:

(A) CREDENTIALS/REGISTRATION COMMITTEE -

(B) RULES/CONSTITUTION COMMITTEE -

(C) RESOLUTIONS COMMITTEE - .

(D) ARRANGEMENTS COMMITTEE

(E) CANDIDATE SEARCH COMMITTEE

14. MOTION TO MAKE THE TEMPORARY ORGANIZATION PERMANENT.

Motion is in order for this Convention only.

15. ADOPTION OF RULES COMMITTEE REPORT AND CONVENTION RULES

And then it was my turn…at noon.

 19. CANDIDATES’ SPEECH TO THE CONVENTION FLOOR; AND,

Giving Speech on SSP Auditorium Stage

20. ENDORSEMENT OF CANDIDATE FOR SENATE DISTRICT 57.

I gave my speech, and got endorsed! My stomach could finally settle down.

After I stepped off the stage, the other candidates gave their speeches (House Candidates John Kriesel – D57A& Denny McNamara – D57B) After that, a surprise visit from gubernatorial candidates Marty Seifert and Tom Emmer.  

The day ended at 2:00, and I was off to a whole new auditorium…the high school sectional hockey playoff games. My stomach started acting up all over again.

All in all, a great day! Let the campaign begin!