While I know many people vote only for candidates of their preferred party, I ask all citizens of the 1st Congressional District to look very closely at the race between Tim Walz, our current Democratic representative, and his challenger, Allen Quist. While Walz is farther to the right on many issues than I personally would prefer, he is a fair distance left from the Tea Party-leaning Quist, a Republican.

I am convinced that the only way to end the political gridlock in Washington is to get away from the hard line left/right politicians running for office. This country was far more effective when our political representatives were not so radically and widely divided in ideology. Walz voted for $2 trillion in budget cuts that affected a number of social programs, something my liberal heart absolutely did not agree with. However, I recognize that compromise by both sides is far more effective that drawing lines in the sand.

Quist supports and represents an extreme Tea Party viewpoint that I believe will perpetuate the political gridlock we’ve experienced recently. (Quist is a mentor to, and is backed by Tea Party favorite Michelle Bachmann.) Walz supports taking a balanced approach to paying down our national debt while still protecting our social responsibilities such as Medicare, Social Security, education, and veterans’ benefits.

I know in my heart that taking that balanced approach, however misaligned that is with my far-left leaning views, is the only realistic way to get the job of governing our country done. If your heart knows that too, vote for Tim Walz on Nov. 6.

 

Dee Slinde,

Austin