I am often asked, "What influenced you to run for election and serve in public office?"
With the 15th anniversary of his tragic death approaching this week (Oct. 25), my answer is still simple and straightforward: "Paul Wellstone."
I am just one of many community organizers and activists whom Paul inspired to run for elected office. He helped us understand that our voices were needed on school and township boards, in city halls, in state legislatures and in Washington, D.C. As elected representatives, we could open doors to those who were underrepresented in the corridors of power. Wellstone taught us that elected officials can amplify the demands of emerging citizen movements and help counter the power of large corporations in public spaces where moneyed interests often dominate policy deliberations.
While Paul's improbable victory in the 1990 Senate race is the stuff of Minnesota political legend, the seeds of his drive to connect the dots between grass-roots organizing and elected office are rooted in his lesser-known run for state auditor in 1982.
That year, I was working as an organizer for Minnesota COACT, a statewide citizen organization with deep rural roots. We worked to protect family farms, promote universal health care and halt cold-weather utility shut-offs, among many statewide and local issues.
In the spring of 1982, Paul decided to seek the DFL endorsement for state auditor. In a tribute to Wellstone in 2012, Gov. Mark Dayton recalled the 1982 state DFL convention. At that convention, Dayton was endorsed for his first Senate run against Republican Dave Durenberger. According to Dayton, upon hearing Wellstone's floor speech, "The convention went wild ... [the delegates] had just heard the most electrifying speech in their lives. A motion was made for a voice vote on the endorsement, and Paul won overwhelmingly."
A group of fellow organizers answered Paul's call to volunteer for his campaign. We were skeptical of electoral politics but knew and liked Paul.
At that time there were no computer printouts or detailed voter lists to target likely voters. Our version of targeting involved spending an afternoon door knocking in Minneapolis's Powderhorn neighborhood, a longtime bastion of progressive politics. Armed with clipboards, and brown-and-white "Wellstone an Active State Auditor" buttons, we set out.
"Have you made up your mind yet in the state auditor's race?" I cheerily asked a middle-aged man at his doorstep. He stared at me blankly and then I explained to him that "Paul Wellstone is running for state auditor and he will serve on the state board of investment and work to divest from South Africa!"
The man thought that was a good idea and signed his name and address to our growing list of supporters.
Paul lost that election to the incumbent state auditor, Arne Carlson, by 9 percentage points. But more than the divestment issue, Paul raised up many concerns and spoke to the hearts of Minnesotans who were worried about the growing farm debt crisis, nuclear power and nuclear weapons, and broader economic and environmental concerns.
On the campaign trail that year, I first noticed Paul's uniquely inspiring speaking style. "Who decides, who benefits, who pays?" Paul thundered as his heels lifted his small, 5-foot-5 frame, waving his arms and jabbing a finger into the air. He repeated that mantra throughout the campaign.
In those framing questions, Paul drove home the point that everyday Minnesotans were left out of the political process, did not benefit from the decisions made in high places and ultimately paid the price through an unfair tax system that favors the wealthy.
On this anniversary of the death of Paul Wellstone, the framing questions of his first run for public office continue to resonate as they did in 1982. We can learn from Paul's fundamental decency and civility, and from his unique ability to connect with people from all parts of our state. He listened to and respected the opinions of the people he represented, including those with whom he disagreed.
It wasn't until 10 days after Paul's shocking loss that I was elected to my first term in the Minnesota House of Representatives, but I'm reminded of Paul's legacy every day. Now more than ever, our nation could use more of the politics that he inspired. We are all called to continue Paul's work to hold powerful interests accountable and ensure that all voices are given access and representation in government.
Frank Hornstein, DFL-Minneapolis, is a member of the Minnesota House.
