Dear Delegate,

Thank you for taking the time to attend your precinct caucuses and becoming a delegate. I ask for your endorsement at the upcoming convention on Saturday, March 28, 2020, at North High School. The convention starts at 9:00 am. This year, your participation means more than ever because we are only two seats away to win DFL control of the Minnesota Senate.

Why is this so important? The GOP Senate Majority was the sole reason many important bills, on issues you care about, didn’t pass. Including:

  • Paid Time to Care for new parents or working adults who need to care for sick loved ones
  • Legislation to hold Big Pharma accountable for greedy and unprecedented price hikes on life-saving medication including insulin
  • The Senate GOP refused any meaningful conversations about addressing the gun violence in our communities. We can do more by investing in the shared priorities that have made Minnesota the great state it is today.

As your State Senator, I can lead the way to get these and other important issues passed.

Senate District 59 is a community we can be proud of; however, my motto is “there is always room for improvement.” I have worked hard to

  • make our neighborhoods safer
  • provide opportunities for employment
  • enhance educational programs
  • from early childhood education to high school
  • to job training for adults,
  • to putting a college education within reach

With your help, I can do more for our families to continue addressing:

  • homelessness and our affordable housing crisis
  • transportation
  • health care

I am running for reelection to continue representing you in the Minnesota Senate. For our Minneapolis communities to grow and succeed, it is necessary to provide opportunities for all our citizens. I hope I can count on your support, faith, and confidence to, again, represent our great Senate District. I stand proud on my promise to you that I will work hard, with honesty and integrity, to advocate on behalf of our citizens.

Minneapolis’ strength comes from our ability to be there for each other whether white, black, or brown. But today, there are those who wish to give kickbacks to the rich, defund our schools, and cut Medicare and Social Security. Yet, they point the finger for hard times at poor and working families, or pit rural Minnesotans against those living in the cities. We need to join together — across all walks of life — to fight for our future just as it was done to win better wages, safer workplaces, and civil rights in the past.

My strong support of early childhood education programs gives our students the jump-start they need to be ready for kindergarten. I have supported increased education funding and investments in early learning options such as school readiness and early learning scholarships.

Every child deserves a high-quality education, regardless of their race or zip code. It’s not enough to just maintain the status quo — we must come together and invest in our schools to close the opportunity gaps our children are facing. We must also ensure college and technical schools are an attainable goal to grow and retain the 21st-century workforce we need.

If we want to grow our economy, we can’t leave the lowest earners behind, and we must create jobs for long-term and chronically unemployed Minnesotans. Honest, hard-working people deserve a fair wage.

We must find employment for hard-to-place workers and ultimately reduce their burden on government services. I will continue to propose legislation that specifically targets veterans, those recently incarcerated, and those with mental health issues or chemical dependency problems, all identified as part of the hard-to-place worker population.

When the many families living at the Drake Hotel experienced losing all their belongings due to a fire, it forced many to see our well-documented homelessness challenge and the affordable housing crisis in real time. I have supported more affordable housing and aid to the homeless because it helps stabilize families, giving them more time and money to devote to caring for their children, their health, and their careers – all which lead to healthier and economically stronger Minneapolis neighborhoods. The lack of quality affordable housing options and access to quality health care is an urgent crisis that requires our continued advocacy and attention.

Fresh air, clean water, and abundant natural resources are intrinsic to who we are as Minnesotans. Without vigilance and investment, our children will not be able to experience the same quality parks, lakes, rivers, forests, and outdoor experiences we now enjoy. I will continue my advocacy of sound environmental policies to protect and enhance the environment.

I am proud of my accomplishments, but with your support, we can work together to do more.

We must:

  • make health care affordable, as well as address the insulin challenge too many people face
  • address the mental health crisis and the high cost of medications
  • improve transit and transportation options
  • assure all Minnesotans have a place to call home
  • close disparity gaps so all families succeed by investing in an education system that works for all our children
  • make sure children and families have food to eat and healthy food options
  • pass a bonding bill that creates jobs and takes care of our state’s infrastructure (one of my priorities)
  • have a conversation on cannabis
  • restore Minnesotan’s right to vote
  • reform the criminal justice system

Thank you again for becoming a delegate. I hope you will support my re-election and your endorsement at the upcoming convention on Saturday, March 28, 2020 ,at North High School would mean so much to me. I hope to see you at the convention, which starts at 9:00 am. It is an honor and privilege to represent the families of District 59 in the State Senate. Please feel free to call, write, email, or visit me with any questions or concerns. Although we’ve made strides, I want to continue my good work with your strong support. Please call or email me if you have any questions or concerns, and I look forward to visiting you.

I am honored to represent you as a Minnesota State Senator. Although we’ve made strides, there is more to do. I want to continue our work and continue to justify your support. I ask for your support for re-election. Please call me at 612-518-8870 or email at b-champion@msn.com if you have any questions or concerns. I look forward to visiting with you.

Yours in service,

Senator Bobby Joe Champion