As we approach Election Day, I am often asked what I think about the candidates running to fill this open seat given the insight I have into the role and dynamics at city hall. I am happy to share my perspective and an endorsement knowing that it may be helpful to some. After getting to know each candidate, Aurin Chowdhury stands out to me as the best choice to be our next council cember for several reasons:
She is the only candidate that has experience working at city hall and with the city council doing policymaking and constituent work, so she’s ready to go on day one. That’s important because this election is for a special two-year term and most council members acknowledge that it takes a couple years to get their feet under them. This also makes her proven, helping alleviate the common concern with any candidate that they might be good at campaigning but not effective once they arrive at city hall.
She is uniquely positioned to help bridge the factions at city hall which have led to fighting and impasses. This results from Aurin’s strong working relationships, especially with the leftmost council members, while maintaining a pragmatic and independent focus on getting things done for the people of Ward 12 and the city. It’s also seen in her calm and collected demeanor, thoughtfulness on the details, and open-minded approach towards problem-solving and compromise.
Her close intergovernmental relationships will pay dividends for our city. Minneapolis cannot solve all the world’s problems, our core services need more investment, and property taxes can only be raised so high; that makes it necessary to secure solutions and funding in partnership with other government levels. But how? Like much of politics, it’s in leveraging relationships, and Aurin is the clear winner here. She’s endorsed by key legislative leaders and will be able to immediately put those relationships to work for our city.
Ultimately the decision of which candidate to support is up to you as a voter, and I am committed to ensuring a smooth transition and the success of whomever is elected. Thank you for the opportunity to serve our community over the past 10 years as your council member, it has been an honor and I am proud of the many great things we have accomplished together.
Andrew Johnson
Ward 12 council member
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