One of the hallmarks of representative government is the idea that elected lawmakers ought to remain subject to the policy they craft in the same way as their constituents. Effective legislators remain rooted in the communities they represent.

We have seen this dynamic play out here in Senate District 27. Our current senator’s campaign funding has been supplied primarily by special interest groups over his time in office beginning in 2002. A particularly interesting example occurred in 2013, when after receiving a sizeable contribution from a Twin Cities based radiologist, the senator voted in support of a moratorium on new cancer treatment centers being built.

Furthermore, our senator has been a leader in supporting the full adoption of the Affordable Care Act in Minnesota, known as MNsure. At a candidate forum recently hosted by KAAL, the senator stated that Minnesota is “lucky” to have MNsure, and that our government has done a “great job” with healthcare in this state. I don’t know who the senator speaks with to form these opinions, but it is certainly not the people of district 27. My friends and neighbors, especially those who are self-employed – which is pretty common in this agricultural district – have without exception characterized their healthcare costs as increasing to the point of being unaffordable. Personally, when MNsure was launched, a person with my income and family size would have had a monthly premium equal to 50 percent of my take home pay.

Fortunately, we have an alternative this election who offers the opportunity to give District 27 a real voice in St. Paul. Gene Dornink is a small business owner who understands what it takes to be successful, balance a budget, and make ends meet in today’s economy. He will represent us well. I encourage my fellow voters across the district to support him on election day.

Josiah Blocki,

Brownsdale