Ken Martin , CD3 DFL

DFL Party Statement on Representative Thompson’s Recent Actions

SAINT PAUL, MINNESOTA — Yesterdayday, DFL Party Chairman Ken Martin released the following statement:

“Nobody is above the law, including our elected officials. We expect all of our elected officials, regardless of party, to not only follow the law, but to hold themselves to the highest standards. Whether they like it or not, their words, actions, and behavior are going to be scrutinized by the public. As such it is important for people in positions of power and influence to model the type of behavior we expect from everyone. Representative John Thompson fell short of that standard, and I am disappointed by his recent actions.”

DFL Party Hires New Finance Director

SAINT PAUL, MINNESOTA – Today, the Minnesota DFL Party is pleased to announce the hiring of Nora Ptacek to serve as the party’s next Finance Director. Ptacek will be taking over for the DFL Party’s current Finance Director, Tyler Blackmon, who will be leaving the party to attend law school at the end of the month.

Ptacek currently serves as the DFL Party’s Deputy Finance Director and has a deep familiarity with Minnesota’s political landscape and the DFL Party specifically as a result. Her political experience also includes time on Secretary Clinton’s Campaign in 2016, Senator Baldwin’s campaign in 2018, Senator Tina Smith’s state office, and independent political research at the University of Minnesota. Ptacek is a graduate of the University of Minnesota – Twin Cities.

DFL Party Chairman Ken Martin released the following statement:

“During my tenure at the DFL Party, we have built a reputation as the strongest fundraiser in Minnesota politics, and I have every confidence that will continue with the incredibly talented Nora Ptacek at the helm of our finance department. When she served as the DFL Party’s Deputy Finance Director, Nora played a big role in the fundraising success the party enjoyed during this last election cycle. I know that Nora will continue to accomplish great things as the DFL Party’s Finance Director and I look forward to another cycle of the DFL Party as a strong, well-funded organization.”

DFL Party Statement on Juneteenth

SAINT PAUL, MINNESOTA – DFL Party Chairman Ken Martin released the following statement in commemoration of Juneteenth:

“On this day, June 19th, 1865, some of the last enslaved people in the United States learned they were free. Juneteenth was the end of the beginning of one of the most important undertakings in our nation’s history: the ongoing work of granting full equality and dignity to African Americans.
“Working to achieve that equality is especially important here in Minnesota, where we have some of the worst racial disparities in the nation that stand as an unacceptable obstacle to so many Black Minnesotans. We cannot tolerate the current Tale of Two Minnesotas that has our state as one of the best in the nation if you are white and one of the worst if you are Black.”

THURSDAY: Governor Gretchen Whitmer to Keynote DFL Founders Day Dinner

SAINT PAUL, MINNESOTA – On Thursday, Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer will keynote the DFL Party’s 2021 Founders Day Dinner. Senators Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith and Governor Tim Walz will also be speaking during the event.

Members of the media will be able to tune in to the virtual dinner at dfl.org/founders. We ask that you do not share this link with people outside of your media outlet. Members of the public looking for more information and to order tickets should visit www.dflfoundersday.com.

WHAT: A virtual fundraising dinner to celebrate the founding of the Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party.

WHO:

Governor Gretchen Whitmer
Governor Tim Walz
Senator Amy Klobuchar
Senator Tina Smith
DFL Party Chairman Ken Martin

WHEN: 5:30 PM on Thursday, June 3rd

WHERE: Virtual – members of the media can tune in at dfl.org/founders

DFL Party and DNC Announce Historic Agreement

Agreement includes over $23 million in direct investments to state parties and grassroots infrastructure during 2022 election cycle

SAINT PAUL, MINNESOTA – Today, the Democratic National Committee (DNC) and state parties including the DFL Party announced a historic four-year agreement that will guarantee more investment into Democratic state parties and grassroots infrastructure than ever before. At a minimum, this investment will provide $23 million to state parties as part of Democrats’ 2022 midterm strategy, and creates a first-of-its-kind program to focus additional investments in historically red states to build on Democrats’ 57 states and territories strategy.

The agreement will establish a brand-new, seven-figure “Red State Fund” to put Republicans on defense and build tailored programs for traditionally Republican states. The Red State Fund includes $2 million in direct investments and grants for states that meet two of the following criteria: no Democratic senator or governor, less than 25% of the congressional delegation are Democrats, and a supermajority of Republicans in their state legislature.

The contract also includes a data sharing agreement that increases investment in down-ballot races, solidifies another four years of historic investment in Democratic data, and anchors the DNC and state parties as the central hub of the Democratic data ecosystem.

Joe Biden Delivers Financial Relief to the American People

SAINT PAUL, MINNESOTA – Thursday, April 29th will mark President Joe Biden’s 100th day in office. To commemorate this, the DFL Party will spend the week highlighting various accomplishments of the start of Biden’s presidency. Today, the party is highlighting Biden’s successful efforts to provide economic relief to the American people.

On March 11th, after less than two months in office, President Biden signed his American Rescue Plan into law, putting money in Minnesotans’ pockets and alleviating poverty. A low or middle-income family of four will get $5,600 in direct payments.

Over 85% of households in Minnesota received $1,400 stimulus checks. That includes more than 3,462,000 adults and 1,296,400 children in Minnesota – the largest direct payment to date. Nationwide, 66 million kids have benefited from the American Rescue Plan’s child tax credit. Biden’s efforts are projected to cut child poverty in half while pulling millions of adults out of poverty.

DFL Party Hires Coordinated Campaign Director

SAINT PAUL, MINNESOTA – Today, the Minnesota DFL Party is pleased to announce the hiring of Alyse Maye Quade to serve as the party’s Coordinated Campaign Director for the 2022 election cycle. Maye Quade has been with the DFL Party in a variety of roles since 2017 and brings a wealth of experience to her new position.

Prior to joining the DFL Party, Maye Quade was the Midwest Organizing Manager for Everytown for Gun Safety and Moms Demand Action. Since then, Maye Quade worked as the Field Director for the Coordinated Campaign in 2018 and as the Deputy Campaign Director for the Coordinated Campaign in 2020, where she oversaw their voter protection, coalitions, and get out the vote programs.

The Coordinated Campaign is made up of a coalition of DFL Party-endorsed candidates and partner organizations which pools resources to accomplish the shared goals of each campaign and organization. This typically encompasses field organizing, training, voter turnout and protection, community engagement, opening and running campaign offices across Minnesota, and much more.

DFL Party Statement on Minnesota Republicans’ Votes to Keep a Dangerous Bigot on Key House Committees

SAINT PAUL, MINNESOTA – Today, the Minnesota DFL Party condemned Representatives Hagedorn, Emmer, Fischbach, and Stauber for voting to keep Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene on several key House Committees after her dangerous, extremist, and cruel behaviors and beliefs came to light.

Despite the Minnesota Republican delegation’s “no” votes, the House removed Representative Greene from the Budget Committee and the Committee on Education and Labor after it came to light that Greene:

DFL Party Statement on GOP “Vote A Rama”

ST PAUL, MINNESOTA – As Republicans in the Senate play partisan games with COVID relief, DFL Party Chairman Ken Martin released the following statement:

“Over 460,000 Minnesotans have tested positive for COVID-19 and thousands more have struggled to make ends meet during the pandemic; relief cannot come soon enough. But rather than fight to help small businesses, reopen schools, and invest in vaccine distribution, Republicans in the Senate are creating a circus. This ‘vote a rama’ is nothing more than political theater when the American people are demanding action. Minnesotans won’t forget which party had their backs in a time of crisis.”

DFL Party Statement on Black History Month

SAINT PAUL, MINNESOTA – Today, DFL Party Chairman Ken Martin released the following statement commemorating the beginning of Black History Month:

“This month, we commemorate and pay tribute to the incredible contributions that Black Americans have made to the rich tapestry of American life and the history of our nation. Leaders like Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Nellie Stone Johnson, Roy Wilkins, Dr. Josie Johnson, Congressman John Lewis, and so many others worked, struggled, and sacrificed so much to lift up communities of color and help our nation live up to our ideals.

“If we are to follow in these leaders’ footsteps and carry on their work to build a truly just society, we must be honest about our successes and our shortcomings when it comes to racial equity. In January, I was both proud and moved to see Minnesota swear in our most diverse state legislature in state history, driven almost exclusively by DFLers. Our commitment to equity and fairness does not stop at building a more representative legislature, though. Ongoing racial disparities throughout our nation and significantly in Minnesota, from housing to education to the impact of COVID-19 and beyond, continue to erect barriers to achieving the American Dream for far too many Black and Brown Americans and that is unacceptable. As we celebrate Black History Month let’s honor the work of so many who came before us by rededicating ourselves to the fight for equity, fairness, and justice for all.”

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this: