Jim Pehler, a former Minnesota senator, and Jim Graves, who lost to Michele Bachmann in the 2012 congressional race by a narrow margin, have both endorsed Joe Perske as the DFL candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives District 6. Perske, who is vying for the seat being vacated by Bachmann, is the current mayor of Sartell. He recently spoke at the Senate District 14 DFL meeting on Feb. 20 at the Great River Regional Library in St. Cloud.
In endorsing Perske, Pehler commented, “I am endorsing Joe because he has been an elected official of a mid-sized city. He has close ties in the central Minnesota area which has given him an understanding of the needs of average working men and women. Joe has a very common-sense approach to solving problems, and he knows how to work well with many different groups of people.”
Pehler of St. Cloud served in the Minnesota House of Representatives from 1973-81 and in the Minnesota Senate from 1981-91.
Graves, a hotel executive, said he believes Perske is the one who will look at both sides of an issue and decide what is best for the people of Congressional District 6.
Graves said, “I fully endorse, Joe; we need moderates in Washington who are willing to reach out to both sides of the aisle. I think when people study the issues and learn more about Joe, he will have a good run.”
Graves will be working on behalf of Perske during the DFL endorsing convention May 3 in Monticello.
Perske has said his primary concern is bettering the lives of middle-class people. “The U.S. House of Representatives is drowning in its own dysfunction,” he said. “I’m running to ensure the paralyzing gridlock in American government ends.”