Re-elect Rep. Phyllis Kahn

Democrat Phyllis Kahn was first elected to represent Minnesota’s District 59B — basically, the University of Minnesota’s Minneapolis campus and its environs — in 1972. During that long tenure, she has contributed immeasurably to the welfare of Minnesota and the University; we encourage our readers to extend her already accomplished career by at least two more years when they vote this November.

Phyllis Kahn is the first to admit that she often finds herself the lone champion of unlikely causes, yet she has an undeniable knack for picking winners: Early indoor smoking bans, seminal gender equity laws and the existence of a University hazardous waste facility are only a few of her numerous achievements.

She has also been a lifelong proponent of cycling as an alternative form of urban transportation, and she has been instrumental in establishing much of the infrastructure and laws Twin Cities cyclists now take for granted.

Among her pending legislative proposals are laws that would establish gender-neutral marriage in Minnesota, fund new bike-trail signage and connectivity between northeast and southeast Minneapolis and require the Board of Regents and city of Minneapolis to form a new collaborative organization to "improve the [U]niversity’s … campus area neighborhoods" in a variety of ways.

Phyllis Kahn is a politician with vision who has made a career out of doing the right thing for her state and district, even when the right thing to do is not the popular thing to do. We hope and expect that Kahn has as much good work ahead of her as she does behind her.