MARSHALL - The Lyon County Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party opened its convention Saturday with a prayer for the late former Senator Gary DeCramer, who died Wednesday.
"Thirty years ago this year he was elected, the last Democrat elected to the Legislature from this area," said Tony Doom, former senate district chairman. "I was his campaign manager and treasurer. We won by 220 votes."
The county DFL met to elect party officers, select delegates to the congressional district and state conventions, and hear from candidates, according to Lyon County DFL Chairman Tim Buysse.
Ted Suss of Wabasso, so far the only announced DFL?candidate for the new Senate District 16, was present at the convention.
The newly-redrawn district includes Lac qui Parle, Yellow Medicine, most of Redwood, Brown, and the northern two tiers of townships in Lyon County.
"I feel like the Legislature is broken and needs to be fixed, the culture needs to be changed, it's too partisan," Suss said. "Too many legislators are taking orders from party bosses, or are so wedded to their party platform they can't step back and say, 'What can we do for the greatness of our state?'"
Fact Box
Results of the party officer selection on Saturday.
Party offices: Chairman, Tim Buysse; Associate Chairwoman, Sue Morton; Secretary, Allison Broesder; Treasurer, Kitty Dobbins; Affirmative Action Officer, Larry Montello.
Delegates to the congressional district and state conventions: Jan Knieff, Dyna Slyter, John Roedl, and Tim Buysse. Alternates: Cathy Hare, Lynn Hanefeld, Mike DeBrule, and Bob Schwoch.
Matt Freeman attended as a representative for U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar, who could not attend.
"She can't make it out to all the conventions, so I'm here on her behalf to say thanks for participating in the endorsement process and encouraging them to be state delegates for Senator Klobuchar."
The DFL was also looking for people interested in running for office.
"Basically we need more people interested in running," said Michael DeBrule, former associate chairman of the soon-to-be-defunct state senate District 21. "These days most people don't even know what district they're in. People who are doing this aren't doing it because they want to be millionaires, they're doing it because they care."
Since the recent redistricting, DeBrule said he has been working to help set up the new District 16, and the DFL hopes to endorse candidates at its upcoming district convention on Saturday, April 14, at a time and place to be determined.
DeBrule urged anyone thinking of running for office to contact him at dr.debrule@innovativefootcare.com