Marvin Nelson: Why I'm Running For Governor
It's cold outside but debate is starting to heat up on agricultural issues in the region's state capitols, including at Bismarck, N.D. Photo taken Jan. 9, 2015, in Bismarck, N.D., at the North Dakota State Capitol. (Forum News Service/Agweek/Mikkel Pates)(Embargo to Jan. 20, 2015, 1 a.m.)
I wanted to let you know that I will be your candidate for governor of North Dakota.
As a state representative for District 9 and an agriculture consultant, I have spent years traveling from town to town across our state. I’ve had the opportunity to meet with hundreds of good, hard-working, remarkable North Dakotans who reinforce the enormous potential throughout our state. Like you and me, they are deeply concerned about the future of our state.
They wonder why they are working longer hours for lower wages. They worry about whether their kids will be able to afford college or get decent jobs. They fear that they may not have the savings to retire with dignity and security.
Our state is facing a crisis and we are leaving North Dakotans behind. We need a governor who is going to acknowledge the very real challenges North Dakota faces and works to tackle them.
[mks_pullquote align=”right” width=”300″ size=”24″ bg_color=”#ffffff” txt_color=”#000000″]Our state is facing a crisis and we are leaving North Dakotans behind. We need a governor who is going to acknowledge the very real challenges North Dakota faces and works to tackle them.[/mks_pullquote]
At a time when North Dakotans are feeling increasingly uneasy about the state of our state, it’s clear that new leadership is required to move our state forward. The economic slowdown we’re now experiencing feels a bit like it did in the 1980s, an era that saw a decrease in commodity prices, which negatively impacted our budget, the economy as a whole, and our way of life.
When our economy was growing with the oil boom, we had an opportunity to build a state worthy of our kids and grandkids. We could have built a strong, diverse economy. Instead, due to falling oil prices and misplaced priorities, we find ourselves in a place where unelected agency heads, rather than our representatives, will be cutting hundreds of millions of dollars.
By putting a leader who stands up for all North Dakotans in the governor’s mansion, a leader who seeks smarter ways to fix our state’s budget, we can build a stronger, safer North Dakota for the future.
After years of travel, discussion, and dialogue, I have decided to be your candidate for governor of North Dakota. But let me make something clear. This campaign is not about me. It’s about North Dakotans standing up and saying: “Enough is enough. The same old Republican leadership needs to change.”
Every North Dakotan deserves a voice and I want to stand up for everyone in our state – first responders, students, Native Americans, farmers, small business owners – the list goes on.
We’ll stick, we’ll win.
This was cross-posted from Nelson’s campaign announcement with permission.
