Jennifer LeeAnn Ney is a candidate for the senate seat held by Grace Schwab.

Ney said, "I plan to meet people at the Freeborn County Fair and then the Mower County Fair and tell them about my candidacy."

Schwab, an Albert Lea Republican, and DFL-endorsed challenger, Dan Sparks, of Austin.

Schwab is seeking a second two-year term in the Minnesota Senate, representing District 27.

She defeated incumbent State Sen. Pat Piper, an Austin DFLer, in the 2000 elections.

Sparks is making his debut in statehouse politics. Also in the senate race is Terry Kelley, the former DFLer.

Both Ney and Kelly are Independence Party candidates.

This means, there will be a primary election to whittle the field of three candidates from the Independence Party to one.

Kelley sought the district's endorsement as a DFLer, but lost it to Sparks at the endorsing convention.

Ney is an unknown, but not for long. "I just want to have the same opportunity like everyone else," she said.

Ney, who is single and a native of Dubuque, Iowa, lives Austin with her father, LaVern. The pair have lived in Austin since October .

"I feel really at home in Austin. I feel safe here," she said.

Ney, 33, has detasselled corn at Dysart, Iowa, and worked at a turkey processing plant at Postville, Iowa, worked for the KISS rock group and modeled clothes for the Boyz II Men musical group.

She has been interested in politics since 1987, when she began studying law and specifically ways to help brain-damaged children. Ney herself suffered a brain injury when she was 18 months old.

She has two brothers and a sister.

Her ambition is to attend the University of Minnesota and study law.

Among her campaign proposals is to call for legislation to affix a 25-cent per bottle or can of alcoholic beverages tax and put the money raised in a fund to reduce the prescription drug prices for Minnesota senior citizens.

Also, she wants to improve veterans benefits.

She identified Justin Cox as her campaign manager and treasurer.

Ney said she is looking forward to debating her Independence Party opponent, Kelly. "I love to square off," she said.

Her father, LaVern, said of his daughter's candidacy, "I think it's a great idea."

The father, who once ran unsuccessfully for mayor of Dubuque, Iowa, says he is related to former Iowa Congressman Tom Tauke.

Ney says she is related to "two attorney generals" and Gov. Jesse Ventura. "I think he should stay in politics and run for the presidency," she said.

Ney also said the Independence Party's most famous new candidate, Tim Penny, the gubernatorial hopeful, is "a very good candidate."

Asked if her candidacy is a mockery, Ney said, "I'm going to give it my best shot I swear to God. The quality of life of our children should be better and this is what I am going to work for if elected," she said.

Rebuffed by some media, Ney has given print interviews and says she is being courted by the National Enquirer for a story.

Lee Bonorden can be contacted at 434-2232 or by e-mail at

lee.bonorden@austindailyherald.com