The Senate District 49 Democratic-Farmer-Labor (DFL) convened its precinct caucus at Eden Prairie High School on Tuesday evening, launching the local electoral season with discussions on candidates, party platform resolutions, and delegate selections for upcoming conventions.
The caucus attracted a mix of candidates, including all three House District 49A candidates: Kissy Coakley, a member of the Minnetonka City Council, Alex Falconer, a longtime organizer and former DFL employee residing in Eden Prairie, and Tiger Worku, a Minnetonka resident who ran an unsuccessful bid last year to represent Ward 6 on the Minneapolis City Council.
The three are vying to replace Rep. Laurie Pryor, who announced in January that she would not run for reelection in November. Pryor, who plans to retire at the end of her current term, attended Tuesday’s caucus, her final one as an elected official.
Notably, the event marked one of the initial steps in the electoral process for the district, which encompasses all of Eden Prairie and south Minnetonka. The upcoming November election will determine several key positions, from local school board and city council seats to state and federal representatives.
Delegates were elected to represent the precincts at the April 20 DFL 49 Convention, where they will play a role in shaping the party’s future direction. Additionally, new precinct chairs were chosen, and resolutions for the state Legislature and federal government were debated, showcasing the grassroots nature of the political process.
Rod Fisher, chair of SD 49 DFL, reported what he described as a good caucus turnout with nearly 200 attendees. Of these, about 135 registered as delegates for the April 20 convention, and about 50 committed to active roles in their precincts.
“That’s the group of people who form the energy of the local party along with our central committee, plus directors,” he said.
Fisher expressed his satisfaction with the positive atmosphere and the presence of new faces at the caucus, “which I’m always keen to see in local activities.”
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