Moorhead Mayor & Legislature candidates share their priorities at candidate forum

MOORHEAD, Minn. (KVRR) – Moorhead area candidates share their visions for the city and state at a League of Women Voters candidate forum.

Mayor Shelly Carlson and Kevin Nese Shores shared their policies for Moorhead.

Minnesota Legislative District Four Democrats Rob Kupec, Heather Keeler and John Hest shared their ideas unopposed since Republican candidates Dan Bohmer, Lynn Helmrast and Jim Joy didn’t participate.

“Increasing our public safety and focusing on that, increasing our economic development in our community so we can grow our business community and working on our infrastructure,” Moorhead Mayor Shelly Carlson said.

Shores, an advocate of legalizing marijuana, says he’s used marijuana to fight a drug addiction that began after he was prescribed opioids by doctors at the Veterans’ Administration.

“For 30 years I’ve been a cannabis activist because I utilized cannabis to get off… because I’m a druggie. I’m addicted to heroin.”

“I think I have pretty good skills of trying to get people together and listening. I think a big part of being a representative is when something comes before the Legislature, is to ask those parties that this will impact what they think of that,” DFL Minnesota Senate District 4 candidate Rob Kupec said.

“I keep saying I’ve been a voice for the underserved community my entire life and I think that Moorhead is extremely underserved and underheard when it comes to the state and their decision-making,” DFL State Rep. Heather Keeler said.

“Fighting for family farmers and bolstering our public schools from Pre K all the way through university. If you want family farming to exist in a meaningful way in the future, we need immediate action,” DFL Minnesota House District 4B candidate John Hest said.

Write-in Senate candidate Edwin Hahn was at the forum, but League of Women Voters rules say only candidates who won a party’s primary can take part.