Winona candidate cries foul in State Senate Race.
Marianne Combs, 9/24/96

A Republican challenger for the Minnesota Senate is asking the Democrat incumbent to quit the race. She says he's conducting an unethical campaign. Minnesota Public Radio's Marianne Combs reports:

Dr. Linda Seppanen is an associate professor in Winona State University's College of Nursing and Health Sciences; she's also a republican running for the state senate. Seppanen says she was frustrated when she attended the first faculty meeting of the school year only to find her opponent, DFL Senator Steve Morse, speaking to her colleagues. Morse talked about the issues they would all face together over the coming year, assuming he was re-elected. Seppanen says Morse was using his job to boost his campaign - something she says she wouldn't do, nor would the school administration let her if she tried.

"I have been very careful about setting boundaries for myself - and to very much NOT bring my candidacy into the classroom. At the beginning of the year I *did* indicate to students *yes* I was the candidate so they'd know I was the same one...the same way I share what my education background is and my other professional activities." - 22secs

Seppanen says she felt she was witnessing an election debate in which she wasn't given a chance to respond. She complained to the college president, who apologized. Then one day she opened her campus mail and found a letter from Morse asking for her financial support; a fellow faculty member put the fliers in campus mail, not realizing it's inappropriate to use state services to run a political campaign. Seppanen says the school's free delivery of the letters was the equivalent of a substantial political contribution. Morse says it was a mistake and has offered to reimburse the campus for postage, but he will not apologize for doing his job.

I mean to say now that you're up for re-election you no longer can do your official responsibilities is absolutely naive and ridiculous. It'd be much the same as saying President Clinton today was speaking at the United Nations and because he's running for re-election he can't do that." 15 secs

Morse says doing his job involves talking about the future and assuming his own involvement in the political process. Seppanen says such speeches in off-election years are fine, but candidates should be restricted from making platform promises on state campuses and faculty time. But Vice president of WSU relations Gary Evans says such restrictions would hurt the school.

Incumbent legislators are people with whom we work frequently and people who are important to the university because of their support for it. And we have always wanted our employees to know who they are, because we want them to know they *are* approachable and can be talked to about issues." - 25 secs

Evans says the university is grateful for Seppanen's own careful distinction between what belongs in the classroom and what belongs on the podium. He says the university will discuss with it's staff and students whether politicians belong at campus ceremonies. Seppanen says she's asking the Senate ethics committee to look into Morse's use of campus time and services for political gain. Senator Morse says he has no plans to withdraw his campaign for re-election.

I'm Marianne Combs, Minnesota Public Radio.