KEEPING THE DFL CANDIDATES STRAIGHT

With ten DFL gubernatorial candidates, it can get confusing keeping them all straight. Not so much for those of us who have been following the many forums and debates, but definitely for those who haven't. How can we rememember what the differences are when they all have the same DFL platform? Here's some phrases to help sort them out.

Tom Bakk - Honest conversation about budget; Jobs Jobs Jobs; Carpenter; unlock capital and put state back to work; state senator; angel investor tax credit; invest in small businesses

Mark Dayton - Tax the rich; honesty and integrity; keeps promises; 34 years government experience; 40 years fighting against injustice and inequality; passed legislation for seniors and veterans etc; strong, experienced, effective; quick-witted (ability to think both quickly and cleverly; gets things immediately); financially knowledgeable; knows how to bring in jobs; eliminate health and social disparities; truly listens to Minnesotans; Yale graduate; former U.S. Senator; truly cares about MN and its people; Better Minnesota

Matt Entenza - Prosecuting attorney; good investigative skills; clean energy economy; MN can become Silicon Valley of clean energy; Norwegian for Governor; 2020 Think Tank

Susan Gaertner - Ramsey County Attorney; A Fresh Start for a Great State; she can get it done; change leadership culture; restore fiscal integrity; meaningful returns on tax investments

Steve Kelley - lawyer; former MN senator; senior fellow at Humphrey Institute; teaches course on Public Budgeting; courage, community, change; sustainable energy; reproductive health

Margaret Anderson Kelliher - Speaker of the House; make MN world economic leader; dairy farmer; green energy production and manufacturing; battery storage technology; medical technology and biomedical research; reform health care; bring back GAMC; Harvard graduate

John Marty - MN senator; authored Minnesota Health Plan; invest in and build for the future; tough ethical standards in politics; responsibility in government; fight domestic violence; raise taxes; living wages for workers

Tom Rukavina - Iron Range; MN representative for 23 years; refreshingly honest; liberty before government; humorous politician; fair and progressive taxes; equal rights and opportunity for everyone; tax rebates for disabled; dedicated to rural communities and farm economy

R. T. Rybak - Mayor of Minneapolis; Minneapolis Promise; created jobs in Mpls; tough ethics policy; eliminate wasteful spending; balanced city budget eight years in a row without accounting gimmicks; paid off $116 million in city debt

Paul Thissen - MN representative; young, energetic, intelligent, refreshing, optimistic; help Seniors live independently and with dignity; broad economic vision and global economy; attract successful companies to MN; committed to statewide infrastructure

Hopefully this brief synopsis will help voters keep the candidates straight enough to know who's who and who stands for what.