SD43 GOP looking for 43A candidate

With the Minnesota House of Representatives up for reelection in 2024, the Republican party in District 43 is hoping to give voters an option this fall.

In 2022, the DFL candidates in 43A and 43B candidates ran unopposed.

District 43A’s lone candidate

District 43A encompasses the city of New Hope and the majority of Crystal. This year, incumbent Cedrick Frazier was unanimously endorsed at the Democratic-Farmer-Labor convention.

Frazier served on the New Hope City Council before being elected to the House in 2020 and again in 2022.

Frazier has authored several bills including the Restore the Vote bill, which turned into law. Now people who have been convicted of felonies can vote if they are not incarcerated, including if they are on parole.

Frazier is the chief author of 66 bills in the current legislative session, including a bill that would prohibit book bans on library books. Another bill would allow people convicted of crimes to file for an appeal if they have new compelling evidence years after their conviction; this is an effort to ensure justice for those who are wrongly convicted a crimes.

As of this printing, the Republicans have not found anyone to run against Frazier. GOP Chair James Long told the Sun Post the Republicans have not given up and are still looking for someone to endorse.

District 43B rematch

District 43B encompasses the entire cities of Robbinsdale and Golden Valley and the southeastern portions of Crystal and Plymouth. Incumbent Mike Freiberg was unanimously endorsed again at the Democratic-Farmer-Labor convention. Freiberg was first elected to the House in 2012 following service on the Golden Valley City Council.

During this legislative session, Freiberg is the chief author of 60 bills. One is The Dog and Cat Data Transparency Bill would require commercial dog and cat breeders to verify claims about animal health and facility conditions before adopting a new pet. Another is the Equal Access to Broadband Act which would allow franchising for Internet broadband services and fees similar to cable television.

This year, Steve Merriman is running for 43B with the support of the Republican party. Merriman previously ran against Freiberg but lost in 2018. Freiberg ran unopposed in 2022. One of Merriman’s key issues is that he’s opposed to Freiberg’s End-of-Life Option Act, a bill that would allow terminally ill patients to ask for a lethal prescription. Merriman wrote in a note announcing his campaign he did not “endorse the Death culture of the opposition party.”

For more information on the political parties in District 43, visit www.sd43mngop.org and www.sd43dfl.org.