2022 Election Watch: Minnesota, Vermont, and Wisconsin
It’s August and we’re less than 100 days away from general elections! But before we reach the finish line, we have another primary day coming at you: On August 9, 13 RFS candidates have competitive primaries in Minnesota, Vermont and Wisconsin. These candidates are some of the best the progressive movement has to offer. From health care activists to criminal justice reformists, they are ready to build long-term sustainable changes to their communities at the state and local levels.
Take a look at our lucky 13 and sign-up to volunteer with them virtually or in-person!
CANDIDATES
MINNESOTA
Scott Rosochacki
Blaine City Council, Ward 1
Volunteer With Scott!!
Scott has always wanted to serve his country, and he was able to do that during his tenure in the Navy as a Nuclear Submarine Electrician. Now he wants to do that by serving the town of Blaine. While in the Navy he was thrown into a fast-paced environment that required him to be on high alert 24/7. This taught him how to remain calm under pressure. While he was serving he was also able to achieve his goal of earning my Masters’s degree in Criminal Justice which gave him insight into the underlying issues that are so prevalent within our criminal justice system. As the military liaison between government and private contractors, he was able to save the Navy just above 20 million dollars. When he got home from service he started my career as a Risk & Quality Management Specialist. As a member of the Blaine City Council, he wants to take all of these skills that he has gathered from his life to bring civility and stability back to government and apply his lived experiences to provide a welcoming, safe, and prosperous community for the city of Blaine.
Justice Spriggs
Columbia Heights City Council
Volunteer with Justice!
Justice is a husband, new dad, and fourth-year medical student running for the Columbia Heights City Council because he loves his city but believes the shared values and vision of his community are not currently being represented.
He is committed to making Columbia Heights a more inclusive, equitable, and welcoming community for all. During medical school, Justice has been actively engaged in public policy and advocacy work, including meeting with legislators and advocating for policies at the State Capitol. With his work, he has been selected for two public health fellowships during medical school that have allowed him to gain the skills and knowledge to pass people-centered policies that better the community. Columbia Heights is one of the most diverse cities in all of Minnesota, and as a biracial candidate, Justice plans on bringing this diversity of the city to City Hall where these communities have historically been left behind.
With his medical background, Justice brings a unique and important perspective to city government having deep and first-hand experience with how local-level policies impact the health and well-being of residents and patients. He is committed to fighting for comprehensive public transportation, equitable housing policies, green energy initiatives, investments in parks and recreational spaces, funding and support for public schools, and a more accessible and transparent government that always works for the people.
Saraswati Singh
Hennepin County Attorney
Volunteer With Saraswati!!
Saraswati Singh, an experienced and progressive prosecutor nationally recognized for her leadership, is running to be the next Hennepin County Attorney. That’s to be the top prosecutor for the area where George Floyd was murdered.
Saraswati is a prosecutor for the Ramsey County Attorney’s Office, handling sexual assault, murder, and other felony cases. Saraswati previously worked at the Minnesota Attorney General’s Office as Assistant Attorney General in the Public Safety Division. Prior to this, she clerked for Judge Jay M. Quam in Hennepin County District Court, managed a civil rights case load for the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Minneapolis, and assisted the U.S. Senate Judiciary staff in Justice Elena Kagan’s confirmation hearings. She served four terms as Co-President of the progressive Minnesota Lawyer Chapter of the American Constitution Society. She was appointed by Governor Tim Walz to the Council of Asian Pacific Minnesotans, is a Diversity & Inclusion Committee Member of the Minnesota County Attorneys Association, and volunteers at the Simpson homeless shelter.
Saraswati is a progressive prosecutor, a Hindu, and the daughter of Indian immigrants. She is a passionate advocate for justice, equity, and rule of law, and works tirelessly to help the community. Saraswati is committed to bringing a community-focused Hennepin County Attorney’s Office that understands our role in public safety, our duty to enforce police accountability, and our responsibility toward racial equity. When elected, Saraswati will make history as the first woman of color to ever serve as Hennepin County Attorney!
María Isa Pérez-Hedges
Minnesota House, District 65B
Volunteer With Maria!!
María Isa Pérez-Hedges is a lifelong Minnesotan, raised on the West Side of Saint Paul. She is a cultural community organizer, international recording artist, and youth worker running for the Minnesota House of Representatives District 65B. She currently directs the mentorship program for the Twin Cities Mobile Jazz Project which empowers young people through music and a cultural curriculum. She also serves on the Capitol Area Architectural and Planning Board Public Engagement Advisory Task Force, working to ensure the Minnesota Capitol is a welcoming space for community.
A Type 1 diabetic and insulin organizer, María Isa has been a prominent leader in the fight for affordable health care in Minnesota. In April 2020, she played an integral role in advocating for the passage of the Alec Smith Insulin Affordability Act, and she continues her leadership within the Minnesota #Insulin4all Chapter. For her outstanding work with Youthrive Live!, educating incarcerated youth throughout the state of Minnesota, She received the National Hispana Leadership Institute’s “Rising Latina Star” award.
Zaynab Mohamed
Minnesota Senate, District 63
Volunteer With Zaynab!
Zaynab is a working class immigrant and policy advocate, running to represent South Minneapolis in the Minnesota Senate. Through her experiences supporting her family and navigating government services, Zaynab is acutely aware of the government’s ability to impact lives.
As a policy aide for the City of Minneapolis and as the Community Advocacy Director at the Council of American Islamic Relations (CAIR-MN), Zaynab has advocated for stronger protections for renters, public safety and police accountability, and support for small businesses.
As Zaynab Mohamed runs to be the first black woman elected to the Minnesota Senate, she is focused on eliminating the educational achievement gap, expanding health care, and doing everything we can to combat climate change. She is a strong advocate for the most vulnerable in the community and will push everyday to have a government that works for us all.
Sheigh Freeberg
Minnesota Senate, District 65
Volunteer With Sheigh!
Almost a decade ago, Sheigh worked at Hotel and watched as his co-workers were mistreated, underpaid, and unappreciated by bad management. The only thing that could turn this situation around was to unionize, and that’s what he did. After that, Sheigh became organizer and his path has been fighting for working people and their families. He led the way helping get the $15 dollar minimum wage passed in Saint Paul and The MSP Airport. For many, this meant a raise that stopped the choice between rent, car payments, and groceries. Seeing thousands of people get a chance at a better future is what Unions and organizing work is about, and we need that kind of change at the Senate.
Sheigh has fought huge companies when they have tried to strong arm workers and won, he has fought alongside communities in the streets for a decade, and pressuresd lawmakers to do the right thing for working people. Sheigh is running for State Senate in MN SD65 because he knows we share more values than we differ on. We believe in fair pay and the rights of workers. We believe in having a safe affordable home. We believe in neighborhoods where public schools can serve our families instead of closing for budget needs. We believe in Equality for all. He knows it’s time to bring new energy that will stand alongside our neighbors so working people and their families have every opportunity to succeed.
Mai Chong Xiong
Ramsey County Commissioner, District 6
Volunteer With Mai Chong!
More than 10 years ago, as a first-generation college student, Mai Chong committed her life to racial justice work. As a Hmong daughter of refugees who grew up living in poverty, she saw how her family and many in her community bore the brunt of a system that was not built to put equity, working families, and Black, Brown, Indigenous, People of Color at the center of it. She knew this needed to change.
Mai Chong knows building a future rooted in racial, social, & gender justice for all requires us to build a people-powered movement from the ground up. It needs to reflect our deepest hopes and dreams with leaders at the frontlines who lead with boldness and courage.
As a mother of two, as a caregiver of her elderly parents-in-law, as a woman of color, as a wife, and a proud advocate for Saint Paul’s East Side, she is taking her leadership as an organizer, current legislative aide to Saint Paul Councilmember Dai Thao, Co-Chair of TakeAction Minnesota, and much more to run for Minnesota Ramsey County Commission (District 6) to fight for the future we all deserve — a future where all people regardless of race, class, gender, and age can live dignified lives in joy, hope, and love.
Jenn Strater
Robbinsdale City Council, Ward 3
Volunteer With Jenn!
If elected, Jenn will be the first openly queer woman on the Robbinsdale City Council and the first woman councilmember elected in Ward 3. She is the Vice-Chair of the Stonewall DFL Board and the Web Director of SD43 DFL. Jenn is a senior software engineer on the private cloud team at Target and is a former Biden campaign staffer on the tech team.
She is reliable, an empathetic advocate for change, and brings unique life experiences to the table. She will work towards a more accessible Robbinsdale, one that is more transit-friendly, safer for bikes and pedestrians, more affordable, and inclusive. Her top priorities are: getting the best deal for Robbinsdale in the Blue Line Extension project, ensuring city workers are making a living wage, and protecting renters from predatory housing practices.
Chantal Oechsle
St. Cloud School Board
Volunteer With Chantal!
Chantal has lived in the St. Cloud area for 11 years. Her children attend District 742 schools. The programming her daughters receive (both in mainstream and special education) has been life changing.
Chantal joined the Board of Directors for Connectability of Minnesota in December of 2020, and she also sits on the Adaptive Equipment Connection Committee that awards microgrants to the disabled community. Chantal also recently joined the 742 Special Education Advisory Council. She is passionate about creating an accepting and inclusive environment for children of all abilities and life experiences.
She is also a member of SEIU Home Health Care Union, as well as the SEIU representative for the East Central Labor Assembly.
True to her roots in online advocacy (domestic violence and disability programs), Chantal is also a member of a grassroots organizing Facebook group and spent her spare time for two years helping neighbors learn about the political process and empowering them to effectively engage. Together, they have fundraised billboards, coordinated marches, ran community aid drives, and got an honorable mention for an MLK Humanitarian Award.
VERMONT
Christina Deeley
Vermont House, Chittenden 4
Volunteer With Christina!
Christina Deeley is ready to join a generation of young women working for better representation in our state and country. As a local educator and mother of four, she knows first-hand the opportunity gaps that exist for Vermonters from historically marginalized backgrounds because of systemic racism, income inequality, and our general lack of awareness and funding for mental health needs. Christina also understands the effects the pandemic has had on children and families in Vermont.
As a Chicago-area native, Christina moved to Vermont in 2010 with her family. Now, her four children all attend Hinesburg Community School, and she works as a Librarian and Social Studies teacher at Champlain Valley Union High School. Christina holds an M.Ed in Curriculum and Instruction from University of Vermont, with a focus in School Librarianship.
Christina believes it is more important than ever to send a strong Democratic voice to Montpelier to advocate for paid family leave and universal childcare, protecting voter access, equitable and affordable education, expanding healthcare and mental health services, environmental justice, and a promotion of equity in all aspects of government and its services. She is ready to answer this call as the State Representative for Chittenden 4.
Taylor Small
Vermont House, Chittenden 6–7
Volunteer With Taylor!
Rep. Taylor Small is an incumbent Progressive / Democrat candidate seeking to represent Winooski in the Vermont House of Representatives. Rep. Small is a strong advocate for marginalized Vermonters in both her professional and personal lives and seeks to continue to bring this work to the Vermont legislature. She knows and understands that by creating systems to support the communities among us who face the greatest barriers and needs, we can truly uplift all people. Rep. Small also holds the position of Education Program Manager at Pride Center of Vermont, a statewide non-profit organization serving the needs of LGBTQ+ Vermonters.
In her role, she works closely with health and human service professionals to navigate health disparities impacting the LGBTQ+ community. She has conducted training sessions for thousands of providers across the state of Vermont and aims to increase cultural competency statewide. Her activism has taken many shapes and forms over the years, but the most notable is her drag persona, Nikki Champagne. Alongside her business partner, Emoji Nightmare, she has had the opportunity to provide Drag Queen Story Hours across the state promoting local libraries and youth literacy, host fundraisers to help support Vermont’s non-profit organizations, and create safer spaces for LGBTQ+ community members to come together. In her first term, Rep. Small was successful in passing two bills in which she was the lead sponsor: banning the use of the LGBTQ+ Panic Defense as well as simplifying and expanding options for gender marker changes on birth certificates.
Wichie Artu
Vermont Senate, Windham County District
Volunteer With Wichie!
Wichie represents a growing multicultural future. He is a farmer, advocate, artist, techy, and a gay Latino from a multiracial family in rural Vermont. If elected, he will be the first queer state senator of color in Vermont.
Wichie’s family is from Puerto Rico, and he was raised in Boston by an indigenous father, two mothers, and sister. They faced homelessness, mental health issues, poverty, and more, but their community provided food, housing, education, and hope. As a teen, he experienced family members pass from AIDS and frequently heard of violence towards the gay community. A mentor showed Wichie a different future, and he now thrives as a gay man because he was provided the tools to create a successful future.
Wichie now pays it forward. He serves on Vermont’S Racial Equity Task Force, and he worked with the governor to allocate COVID relief funds to the undocumented community. With the NAACP and the Department of Health, Wichie moved plans forward to vaccinate the most vulnerable in their community. As senator, he will continue to pay it forward and cultivate opportunities for the community.
WISCONSIN
Anna Halverson
Wisconsin Assembly, District 80
Volunteer With Anna!
Anna Halverson has spent her career identifying problems and working collaboratively toward solutions with creativity, perseverance and hard work. She will bring her optimism, experience, and energy to the Wisconsin State Assembly. Anna has been active in Moms Demand Action since 2016, organizing and advocating to reduce gun violence through grassroots and legislative action. Currently, Anna works with people with disabilities and their families, helping them access the services they need to live full lives in the community in Wisconsin’S Long Term Care system.
Anna began her career working in Maryland as classroom teacher, senior instructor, and in-home therapist for students with Autism. In 2012, Anna came to Wisconsin as a AmericaCorps volunteer as part of the Schools of Hope program in Madison where she implemented a tutoring program at East High School, designed to increase academic success for low-income students and students of color. While earning her MA in Rehabilitation Psychology from the UW-Madison (2015), she worked with the State’s Division of Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR) in the Department of Workforce Development providing case management services in Iowa County. One of 3 siblings, Anna grew up as an Army brat, moving from base to base and living in 7 different cities. Her dad served in Desert Storm and her mom was a teacher. She and her husband, Brett, have a seven-year-old daughter and make their home, along with two rescue dogs, in Mt. Horeb.
