Photos Mayor R.T. Rybak Peter McLaughlin Tools E-mail this page Print this page Sponsor

Pols are off and running in Minneapolis
by Tom Scheck, Minnesota Public Radio
July 18, 2005

Mayor R.T. Rybak files papers in his re-election bid. (MPR Photo/Brandt Williams)

The two top candidates in the race for mayor of Minneapolis are off and running. Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak and Hennepin County Commissioner Peter McLaughlin have both filed the official paperwork for mayor. The two Democrats say public safety and city finances are the top issues in the race for mayor of the state's largest city.

St. Paul, Minn. — The election for mayor is still four months away but Peter Mclaughlin and R.T. Rybak are going after each other as if voters will head to the polls in a couple of days.

Rybak filed his official paperwork Monday and then held a rally with family and about 30 supporters near the Father of Waters statue in the City Hall rotunda.

Rybak is in his first term. He defeated two-time incumbent Sharon Sayles-Belton in 2001. During that race, Rybak ran as a political outsider who was against a publicly subsidized baseball stadium for the Twins, in favor of 24-hour snow plowing in the city and wanted more affordable housing. This year, he's still running as a political outsider.

"This is a clear choice between the new Minneapolis and the old guard. This is a choice between innovative leadership versus going back to the old way of doing things. I think the city of Minneapolis has always moved to the future and that's why I think that's why they'll continue to move forward with me," he said.

Rybak's comments are a clear shot at Hennepin County Commissioner Peter McLaughlin, who has 20 years of political experience as county commissioner and as a state lawmaker.

For his part, McLaughlin has been attacking Rybak, saying he has failed to keep the city's streets safe, hasn't responded to the needs of city neighborhoods, and done little to create affordable housing. Rybak says the criticism is unfair.

"I have heard almost new specific proposal from Commissioner McLaughlin in eight months of complaining with few solutions. What I have is a clear record of accomplishment. Commissioner McLaughlin has never led anything in his entire period of time. Any of his thoughts, frankly, unfortunately are theory because he's never led any part of government. I have led government in the toughest of times," he said.

But McLaughlin says Rybak has been more sizzle than steak. He says Rybak's plan to put more police officers on the street only came after McLaughlin and others were critical of rising crime in the city.

Violent crime in Minneapolis is higher than at the same time last year. McLaughlin says he and Rybak should have five debates between now and the September 13 primary to show the differences between the two candidates.

"We've got problems with public safety in this city. Violent crime is way up. We have serious problems with the schools struggling to do well for all of our kids. I think we need to have a debate on those issues. You just can't hide in your incumbency," he said.

Rybak said he was willing to debate McLaughlin and any of the other candidates in the race.

The personal attacks between two candidates are unusual since both Rybak and McLaughlin are DFLers. But Minneapolis is a DFL stronghold and even party activists have differing opinions. Rybak is banking that a young group of independent minded DFLers will help get him reelected. McLaughlin is relying on the organized labor friends he's made over the years.

Union activists were holding a rally outside of the Hennepin County Government Center on Monday afternoon. McLaughlin, who has received endorsements from the city's labor unions, was there to show his support. Labor activist Cliff Poehler said union endorsement means thousands of campaign volunteers will help McLaughlin raise money, go door knocking and help get out the vote.

Poehler says McLaughlin has stood by labor while Rybak ignored the unions.

"R.T. never seemed to quite grasp his duty as an employer to his employees," he said. "He didn't see the need to stay in touch with labor. He got elected and three and a half years went by and we didn't hear from him."

University of Minnesota political science professor Larry Jacobs says the Minneapolis race will help determine the future of the DFL Party in Minnesota. He says a Rybak victory would signify that labor unions are losing their political influence in the city and state.

"If Mayor Rybak is reelected, it would show that labor has really declined in strength and that it's now possible not only to win without labor support but to go head to head with labor leaders and be victorious in Minneapolis," according to Jacobs.

There are several other candidates running for mayor including Green Party candidate Farheen Hakeem. The top two vote getters in the September non-partisan runoff primary move on to the November general election.