SAINT PAUL – In the first endorsement of a DFL gubernatorial candidate by a former candidate for the office, State Representative Tina Liebling (DFL-26A) today endorsed State Auditor Rebecca Otto for Governor of Minnesota.<\/p>\n
\u201cFor too many Minnesotans, opportunity seems out of reach. They know that the economy is rigged against them, and they are looking for a leader who will stand up to the special interests and fight for them,\u201d Liebling said in making the endorsement. \u201cRebecca Otto is that leader. She has a bold, clear, progressive vision for Minnesota with ordinary people at its center.\u201d <\/p>\n
Liebling also said she believes Otto is the strongest candidate electorally. \u201cShe can go toe to toe with any candidate the Republicans put forward and will give Minnesotans a real choice in November,\u201d said Liebling. \u201cCampaigns can\u2019t be won without money, but money will not win the campaign. For that we need a candidate who is both progressive and bold. I believe that Rebecca Otto is both, and I am pleased to endorse her candidacy for Governor of Minnesota.<\/p>\n
\u201cI have always had great respect for Tina as a smart, progressive leader who is not afraid to tackle issues of great importance,\u201d said Otto. \u201cI am very honored to have her support. Having Tina on our team will be critical to securing the DFL endorsement at the State Convention in June.\u201d<\/p>\n
Otto said she appreciated Liebling\u2019s policy expertise on issues she has heard about repeatedly in listening sessions and on the campaign trail. \u201cRepresentative Liebling has important health care expertise and has worked for years to move Minnesota to a Single Payer health care system,\u201d Otto said. \u201cShe will be a great partner in moving Minnesota to a more efficient, cost-effective health care system that is no longer tied to your job – a system where everyone receives high quality health care, where we remove administrative burdens for our doctors and medical professionals and allow them to focus back on our health.\u201d<\/p>\n
Otto also acknowledged Representative Liebling\u2019s work and advocacy around the legalization of marijuana. Last session, Liebling introduced a bill that would legalize and regulate personal use of marijuana.<\/p>\n
\u201cI respect Tina for leading this important discussion. We need to move away from the failed criminal justice approach to drug use and focus on a public health approach,\u201d said Otto. \u201cProhibition of cannabis does a lot of harm to our state and disproportionately impacts people of color. As governor I would support decriminalizing marijuana and expunging criminal records for those convicted of non-violent marijuana-related offenses. We need to have a thoughtful, open, evidence-based conversation as a state about how to reduce the harm of addiction while respecting the autonomy of Minnesotans.\u201d<\/p>\n
Rebecca Otto was first elected Minnesota\u2019s State Auditor in 2006, unseating a high-profile Republican incumbent by the largest margin in 112 years for a seat that had been Republican for 90 percent of state history. She is the first woman Democrat to be elected State Auditor, and the only Democrat to be re-elected to the office. Prior to that she served as a State Representative from the St. Croix Valley area, and before that as a School Board Member in the Forest Lake Area school district.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Liebling calls Otto \u201cbold and progressive,\u201d says she \u201ccan go toe to toe\u201d with any Republican SAINT PAUL – In the first endorsement of a DFL gubernatorial candidate by a former candidate for the office, State Representative Tina Liebling (DFL-26A) today endorsed State Auditor Rebecca Otto for Governor of Minnesota. \u201cFor too many Minnesotans, opportunity … Continue reading Tina Liebling Endorses Rebecca Otto for Governor<\/span>