By Molly Griffard

Attention all idealists out there: Don’t throw away your vote this November. Maybe your heart bleeds green, but your vote doesn’t have to go to a third party candidate to make a difference. If you actually want to create change this November, vote for DFL-endorsed candidates, not third party candidates who have 1) no real chance at winning, and 2) if elected, no ability to take a leadership position within the Minnesota government.

Let’s face it: We live within a two-party system. We don’t have to agree with it to accept that is how it works. Until we change the two-party system it will dictate that either a Democrat or a Republican is most likely going to win, and that if somehow a third party candidate is elected to office, he will find himself friendless and almost entirely incapable of accomplishing any of the goals upon which he ran his campaign. While the idealist might argue that this isn’t the case, the pessimist accepts it and pronounces politics corrupt, the pragmatist will look at it and realize that it is simply a matter of working within the two-party system to create change.

Let’s take for instance the case of the 64A State House race. For all of you non-political junkies out there, here are the Cliff’s Notes: DFL endorsed Erin Murphy, Executive Director of the Minnesota Nurses Association and long time community member, is running against Green Party candidate Jesse Mortenson, a recent Mac grad, to fill the open Minnesota state House seat that was formerly occupied by Democrat and beloved Mac grad, Matt Entenza. It is nothing new or exciting for a Mac grad to be running for office. If you really want to vote for one this fall, make it Rebecca Otto (running for State Auditor), not Jesse Mortenson.
Erin Murphy, the DFL endorsed candidate just as—if not better than—Jesse Mortenson on the issues, including the environment, and she is one hundred times better when it comes to the experience and ability to accomplish these goals when in office. If we elect someone who has no allies or party to work with inside the house, what good does it do that we agree with what he thinks? To actually push through an agenda in the legislature, you need friends—fellow party members—that will co-author legislation and secure the amount of votes it takes to create policy.
When the Democrats take back the legislature this November, Erin will be a part of the House Majority. She has the experience necessary and the democratic network to not only talk about the environment, education, and healthcare, but to actually accomplish something. If you want action on renewable energy, climate change, the healthcare crisis, affordable housing, immigrants rights, and all those things we progressives value, then don’t throw away your vote on a candidate who can’t come through on his promises. Vote for Erin Murphy, the strong progressive candidate for 64A.