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The race for Minnesota's District 1 state Senate seat is wide open and crucial to both parties. The outcome may help swing control of the Senate. But while the stakes are high, tensions are not.


DFL candidate Kip Fontaine and Republican Mark Johnson hold strong beliefs and differ on many points. But the candidates also grew up just a few miles apart in this far northwest corner of the state and, like many people here, they have strong, extended social ties. Fontaine believes those relationships have helped keep his campaign and Johnson's focused on issues rather than personal attacks.


"I know Mark Johnson's family," Fontaine, 57, said in a recent interview. "His wife, Skyler, grew up in the church that Sheila and I were married in, and I know Skyler's parents very well."


The two political newcomers are waging a grassroots effort to win the seat held for more than 30 years by DFL Sen. LeRoy Stumpf, who's retiring. But in a decided break from the political bitterness gripping the nation and much of Minnesota this campaign season, Johnson and Fontaine are keeping it clean and civil.

Election 2016

That's a reflection of the values of this rural district, said Johnson, 32, a Republican who's quick to praise Stumpf, the outgoing DFLer.

"Northwest Minnesota isn't really known for its cutthroat politics, I don't think," he said. "I mean, we had LeRoy Stumpf here, nicest guy in the world if you talk to anybody about LeRoy."


  
DFLer Fontaine has the edge in name recognition. He worked as a county prosecutor for 20 years. For the past decade he's managed public defenders in nine northwestern counties. 

But Johnson isn't conceding that advantage. 

"With a name like Johnson, everybody knows me. So it's not as bad as you think," he said with a laugh.

Johnson owns a concrete construction company with his father. He also runs a small law practice in East Grand Forks, Minn. 

Johnson said he's running because there are too many government regulations, and because he thinks high taxes are hurting Minnesota businesses. The Second Amendment right to bear arms and conservative social issues like abortion and marriage are also important. 

But Johnson is also keenly aware that voters want lawmakers who will solve problems.

"I don't think you want to draw necessarily the line in the sand and say I will not cross this line at any cost. You want to be able to work effectively," he said. "But there are principles at the same time that you want to be able to hold. I don't think you need to sell yourself out to get compromise."

Fontaine, the DFLer, says he hears a lot of voter frustration with partisan legislative gridlock. He's promising voters a bipartisan approach to legislating.

"In all of our relationships whether they're personal, social, professional or work at some level we need to come together and compromise," he added. "Our democracy was based on compromise."

Key issues for the district are health care reform, transportation funding to improve roads and bridges, and economic development, said Fontaine. 

The candidates say it's hard to tell who has the advantage in this open seat, but both parties believe they can win this race. 

DFL officials say despite the district becoming more conservative, a strong candidate is key to winning the race. Republican party officials think they have a good chance to claim the seat long held by Democrats.  

The district tilts Republican. It has two Republican state representatives. Johnson said that gives him an edge but he still needs to sell himself to voters.  

That can be a challenge when the presidential race is top of mind for many voters. Johnson said he tries to avoid talking national politics when he's knocking on doors.

"Forget about the craziness up at the top of the ticket. Let's focus on some of the issues," Johnson tells voters. "Here's why we think a conservative platform is the best."

Fontaine admits the district leans conservative, but he thinks many northwest Minnesota voters choose a person rather than a party. 

"I think people are very independent minded. They are not locked in to party politics," said Fontaine. "They look at each race individually and determine who they believe the best candidate is."

Talk to local residents and there's one clear theme: They are tired of negative politics. 

Outside the Thief River Falls post office, Jim Grant shook his head at the presidential campaign. A longtime Republican voter, Grant said he's so frustrated with the polarization in politics he wishes he could turn back the clock to a time when politics was less divisive. 

"Right now the way things are even if there was a good DFL candidate, the DFL of 35-40 years ago, I might vote Democrat," said Grant, who adds economic development is the key issue in deciding how he'll vote. Northwest Minnesota, he added, is an "oasis of economic growth" and he wants legislators who will support business.

Twenty-five miles down the road, voter Lorraine Schmidt said politics was not her favorite subject these days.

"For the president I think it's terrible. It's just a mess this year," said Schmidt with a rueful laugh as she raked leaves in front of her Red Lake Falls, Minn., home. 

But she doesn't see candidates for state or local office as part of that mess.  On the boulevard nearby were several lawn signs, including signs for Fontaine and Johnson. 

"I like all of them," said Schmidt, who offered that she tends to vote Democrat. "They're nice people, real nice people. They come visit you and they're very, very nice people and whether they're Republican or Democrat I talk to them. And I think they're real reasonable."

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Dan Gunderson

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Need a break from American political bitterness? Come to far northwestern Minnesota, where two political newbies seeking an open state Senate seat share a mutual respect for each other and are focused on issues.

Sick of ugly politics? Here's a civil campaign in Minnesota

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