Letters to the Editor - Covering conventions - Covering conventions

    I was surprised that there was no coverage of the recent DFL Caucuses or Convention in the last issue of the Camden News. Was this an oversight?

    I was a delegate at this convention, where the main order of business was to endorse a candidate for City Council. There was a hotly-contested battle between incumbent City Council President Johnson, Troy Parker, and dynamic newcomer Marcus Harcus. The battle lasted through 10 rounds of voting, not withstanding the expectation from the rules committee that it would end after five. Barb Johnson finally prevailed after her supporters repeatedly (six times over) blocked motions to adjourn with no  endorsement.

    The contest will continue in the general election between Barb and Marcus. It was not clear if the Troy Parker would continue to the general election.  This election will be the first in which city offices will be selected by rank order in Instant Runoff Voting. This new way of electing officials should make for an exciting election. But the prospect of Marcus v. Barb promises a historic battle between "new" Camden and the old political guard. Joe Mullery narrowly escaped political defeat last year at the hands of dynamic young DFLer Peggy Flanagan. Will Barb Johnson, the living embodiment of the
(multi-generational) Northside political machine, be able to hold on?
Eric Hofer

Webber-Camden