Opinion editor’s note: Strib Voices publishes a mix of guest commentaries online and in print each day. To contribute, click here.
•••
I am writing in response to the Aug. 13 commentary “My time for choosing” by a former state GOP officer endorsing Kamala Harris and Tim Walz. In his piece, Michael Brodkorb frames his argument around Ronald Reagan’s “A Time for Choosing” speech.
I agree that this is a time for choosing and that Reagan’s closing exhortation in that speech applies today as much as it did in 1964: Based on the outcome of this election, “we’ll preserve for our children this, the last best hope of man on earth, or we’ll sentence them to take the last step into a thousand years of darkness.”
I am a suburban father, husband, former small-business owner, coach and lifelong Minnesotan. I am like many of you — a parent who just wants a good life for his family and someday a better life for his children. I want schools where kids excel, not just get by. I want streets where kids can play safe and not be afraid to go out after dark. I don’t want the government tell me how to raise my family, and I don’t want to care about my neighbor’s (or a pop singer’s) political views. I, like many of you, just want things to be … normal.
That is why I am writing to make the case for suburban voters and for all Minnesotans as to why a Donald Trump/JD Vance administration is best for this state and country.
The first Trump administration brought prosperity, security and constitutional respect. Voting for Trump is about preserving these ideals and ensuring a future that empowers families, communities and the nation.
In the upcoming elections, suburban families in Minnesota face a crucial decision about the future of their communities and their families. The stakes are high, and choosing candidates who can promote economic growth, protect family values, ensure safety and uphold our constitutional freedoms is essential. For these reasons, Trump and Vance are the ideal candidates for suburban families. Their policies are not a collection of populist promises but a carefully crafted vision that aims to improve life for our families, children and elderly parents. Trump and Vance offer the leadership that Minnesota’s suburbs need across several intertwined policies.