by Frank Lee
operations@thenewsleaders.com
A former Marine from Sauk Rapids is entering another kind of arena where fighting has become all too commonplace: politics.
Matthew Crouse, who is endorsed by the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party, wants to take on Rep. Tim O’Driscoll for the District 13B seat in the Minnesota House.
“Government is not working,” Crouse said. “You need people in there that will solve problems and who will be willing to work with the opposite party.”
Crouse, a former St. Joseph resident, recently filed candidacy papers for District 13B, which includes Sartell, Sauk Rapids, Avon, St. Stephen, St. Wendel and Holdingford.
The 27-year-old union worker is employed by New Flyer, a manufacturer of heavy-duty buses in North America and whose facilities include one in St. Cloud.
His top priorities include ensuring Minnesota remains a leader in education, health care, reducing discriminatory laws and ensuring small businesses and farms have “the tools and resources they need to flourish in our rapidly changing economy.”
“I agree strongly with the inclusion the Democratic Party has,” Crouse said. “The Democratic Party is the only party that really strongly supported same-sex marriage. They are the party that strongly supports equal rights in the workplace, union rights.”
O’Driscoll is seeking a fourth term in the House. The Republican from Sartell was first elected in 2010.
“With the ideals of the Democratic Party, I think it’s more of a forward-moving party compared to my opposition, which seems like it’s kind of a more stagnant party,” said Crouse, who has never held an elected office.
Crouse is a 2006 graduate of Apollo High School in St. Cloud, and the veteran is a senior at St. Cloud State University pursuing a bachelor’s degree in political science.
“Being in the military, I was able to understand how different forms of government worked,” Crouse said. “Obviously, you work under a lot of government regulations.”
As a former foster child, he said he has a unique background in understanding how the dynamics of one family unit differ from another “and still contain the characteristics that are the cornerstone of loving families.”
“I grew up a ward of the state of Minnesota,” Crouse said. “I dealt with government a lot when I was a kid. I dealt a lot with the bureaucracy and a lot of laws a lot of people probably aren’t aware of, a lot of these regulations people might not be aware of.”
Crouse said he hopes to focus on families and wants to bring attention to the vulnerability and under-representation of foster children, children up for adoption and the struggles these children face that most children do not.
“My opponent, in the last election, ran unopposed, and when somebody runs unopposed, that’s not democracy when they win,” Crouse said. “I feel like I’m giving people the opportunity to vote and to have their votes count.”
Matthew Crouse of Sauk Rapids is running for Minnesota House of Representatives in District 13B, which includes the cities of Sartell, Sauk Rapids and St. Stephen.
