While I agree with most of the Star Tribune's endorsements, particularly those of Gov. Mark Dayton and Sen. Al Franken, I can't say the same of your endorsement of Stewart Mills III ("Mills is a fresh voice in Eighth District," Oct. 28).
In fact, the narrative of your endorsement makes the case of why one should not support Mills: His inherited wealth, while "not a reason to disqualify him from public office," certainly gives a hint as to whom he would owe his allegiance, and it is not the middle class.
"Mills began his Fleet Farm career scrubbing toilets and emptying trash" — the first time those tasks have ever been identified as qualifications for being elected to Congress. It's as if Rep. Rick Nolan was born with a silver spoon in his mouth and didn't work his way up the ladder in such jobs as teaching high school, to name one of many. And the simple fact is that no matter how good Mills was at cleaning toilets, he would not be a vice president of Mills Fleet Farm if his name were something other than Stewart Mills III.
"His condemnation of the Affordable Care Act is too sweeping." "We differ with Mills ... on his unyielding stance against firearm regulation" — could the fact that Mills Fleet Farm is one of the biggest purveyors of firearms in Minnesota possibly have something to do with it?
You praise Mills' stance on Middle East policy. But which of the two candidates actually lived and conducted a business in the Middle East for years, and understands the mindset of the people of the Middle East? Hint: It wasn't Mills.
"If elected Mills would face a learning curve in Washington." That's the understatement of the year, and the U.S. House is not the best place for on-the-job training.
Nolan has already served four distinguished terms in Congress, not to mention his years as an aide to then-Sen. Walter Mondale when he first arrived in Washington, D.C. And you are actually suggesting that the voters of the Eighth District should dump him for a completely untested rookie of marginal qualifications who would take years to get up to the level of experience and qualifications that Nolan already has?
"[H]e [Mills] has the energy, the zest for ideas and the deep commitment to northern Minnesota. ..." You're apparently alleging that Rick Nolan doesn't have these things? Rick Nolan was doing all of that when Stewart Mills was still in diapers.
By all accounts, the race is going to be close. It shouldn't be, because Nolan is unquestionably the superior candidate.
Dan McGowan is a retired attorney in St. Paul.
