Elections of one sort or another occur every two years and this year is no exception.

Wednesday, March 20, 2002

Elections of one sort or another occur every two years and this year is no exception.

What does make this year’s race for a seat in the State House of Representatives interesting is that four people are vying for the DFL endorsement. And three of those already hold office either on the Austin City Council or the Mower County Board.

Dick Chaffee, who is currently serving as the council member at-large, says his decision to run was "prompted by Rob Leighton’s decision not to run for a fifth term and by the encouragement of Representative Tom Pugh, the DFL leader of the State House of Representatives to throw my hat into the ring."

He says his term with the Austin City Council is up at the end of the year and this was also a reason he decided to run in this election.

"I think it’s really important for anyone interested (in running for political office at the state level) to have a background in government," Chaffee says. "I think I’ve accomplished much in the six years I’ve served on the council. The amount of activity that has taken place in six years is very exciting and I would like to take that same record, that same philosophy to St. Paul."

However, Chaffee isn’t saying what he will do if he doesn’t get the DFL endorsement or if he doesn’t win the election. "I’ll have to see where the tea leaves are laying before I decide what to do," he says.

Jeanne Poppe currently serves as a Council member for the Second Ward and is in the fourth and final year of her term. She says she was interested in running for the House because "it’s an open seat and I feel I’m capable of doing a good job. I think I’m somebody who will do a good job and will be successful."