This year’s gubernatorial race is a strange one. Two of the candidates used to work closely together, one switched parties two years ago and one is a former pro wrestler. While all of the candidates have strong points, Hubert H. “Skip” Humphrey III is the candidate who will most benefit University voters.
Jesse Ventura has been a refreshing voice in this year’s election. However, talking in the vernacular should not be mistaken for being an everyday person. Students should be concerned with his stance on financial aid. He essentially claims that there should be none at all. His claim that if a person is smart enough to go to college, he should be smart enough to afford it is a slap in the face to all students who struggle even with loans. Another problem with Ventura is that he is not very educated on many issues. His willingness to be open about it impresses many people, but ignorance is not a virtue when you are a state’s highest elected official. Ventura certainly has no lack of charisma, but unfortunately seems to have little else to offer students.
Norm Coleman’s stance toward students is essentially nonexistent. He has no position papers on the subject of education and, when questioned, says that he wants to keep the system the way it is. He states that his proposed tax cut would create extra money that could be spent however a family desired, but the amount this tax cut would generate for most students is negligible. Voters should also be concerned by Coleman’s well-publicized political turnaround. In the 1960s, Coleman was a stereotypical hippie with long hair who protested the Vietnam War and campaigned for Democratic candidates. While he became less liberal with age, he remained a Democrat until 1996, when he switched to the Republican party. The combination of his switch in 1996 and his lack of even token attention to education makes Coleman a poor choice for governor.
Skip Humphrey, the man with the famous name, lacks something that the other two candidates have; he doesn’t have any flair. Hopefully this is not enough to lose him the election. Besides his lack of charisma, there is little to complain about.
Humphrey has in-depth knowledge of the state’s politics, having served in many positions in Minnesota’s political system. He also appears to be a candidate who cares about students. His proposal that the state finance the first two years of college education demonstrates his commitment to all qualified students attending college, regardless of their parent’s financial situation. While Humphrey’s speeches may not make people clutch at their hearts, he is a solid candidate who is well grounded in the issues and will do more for the average student than the other two candidates.
The Daily endorses Skip Humphrey for governor. Because of his past experience and his opponents’ lack of experience, he’s the most qualified candidate for the state’s highest office. He has also taken positions that will most benefit the state’s general population as well as its students. Ventura has charisma and Coleman has hockey, but Humphrey has the knowledge and values to effectively lead Minnesota into the next millennium.