GOP newcomer gets nod for St. Paul mayor

St. Paul Republicans endorsed a businesswoman to take on DFL incumbent Mayor Chris Coleman, as well as two other men to vie for open seats on the school board.

By CHRIS HAVENS, Star Tribune

Last update: April 4, 2009 - 11:48 PM

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St. Paul Republicans endorsed a nearly full slate of candidates for mayor and school board at the party convention on Saturday.

Political newcomer Eva Ng, who officially announced her candidacy just Friday evening, won unanimous endorsement to run against DFL incumbent Mayor Chris Coleman.

There was a little last-minute excitement when previously announced mayoral candidate John Krenik stepped aside to seek -- and earn -- a school board endorsement. Richard Easton, also won party backing for the school board seat.

Three spots on the board will be contested this year, and party Chairman Scott Walker said there's still time to find a third Republican candidate before the fall elections.

About 100 people attended the convention at the Carpenter's and Joiners Building, 700 Olive St., Walker said.

"We're here, and we're ready for a good battle," he said.

Ng, 50, a self-described "center-right conservative," has worked in various business roles over the last 30 years. Currently, she's CEO of Blanda Inc., an Eagan machining firm. She was born in Hong Kong and moved to the United States when she was 10.

"This isn't something I imagined for myself, but this is the time," she said. "It's a stressful time, and the city is strained, and I have resources and skills to bust the budget apart, find savings and make things happen."

Krenik, 46, lives in Highland Park and has been a teacher for nearly 20 years. He said that he's concerned with the dropout rate of minority students and said that more innovative money-saving strategies need to be implemented in the district. "We must become effective and efficient in everything we do, and that will mean cutting central administrative staff and put teachers back into the classroom," he said in a statement.

Easton, 25, works for a property management company and is a lifelong St. Paul resident. He sits on the board of River's Edge Academy, a St. Paul charter school set to open this fall. He said he's running because he and his wife plan to have children soon, and they want to send their children to St. Paul public schools. He has said the board could be more efficient with money.

The St. Paul DFL convention was held last month. The DFL endorsed the three school board incumbents up for reelection: John Brodrick, Tom Goldstein and Elona Street-Stewart. Coleman, unopposed in the DFL, also received endorsement.

The sole Republican on the school board, Tom Conlon, is not up for election this year.

Chris Havens • 612-673-4148

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