Clay County caucus proves to be starting point for local political hopefuls

“Caucuses are where you will find the beginnings of democracy,” said Athena Gracyk, secretary of the Clay County DFL.

Turnout at both the Clay County Republican caucus held at Moorhead High School and the Clay County DFL caucus at Moorhead State University was slim compared to the 2016 caucus, which kicked off a presidential election year.

“I think on both sides, Republicans and speaking for the Democrats, the numbers will be way down simply because it is not a presidential election,” said Fred Wright, Clay County Republican chair.

Wright said the precincts at the Republican caucus would be looking at the five major state candidates.  On Tuesday, 15 Republican precincts met at caucuses in Hawley, 10 in Barnesville and 33 in Moorhead, Wright said.  

“At the caucus level, if you’re interested in politics, government or history, that is the basic level; that’s where everybody has to begin. You start there,” Wright said.

On the DFL side, 19 caucuses were held in Clay County, where neighbors and community members would be taking the first steps in political involvement.

“It’s really where you can meet your neighbors, get to know each other and talk about important issues,” Gracyk said.

Gracyk said she expects attendees to be discussing broad topics such as education, health care and the economy.
Caucus attendees were invited to vote in a straw poll for a gubernatorial candidate.

On the Republican side, 2014 nominee for governor and former state Rep. Jeff Johnson took the lead with 38 votes, followed by six undecided votes and six votes for Phillip Parrish. Former chairman of the Republican Party of Minnesota and former state Rep. Keith Downey received five votes, Woodbury Mayor Mary Giuliani Stephens received four votes and L. Johnson received none.

Results of the DFL poll were not available as of press time.

Clay County Republicans is the local party’s BPOU or Basic Political Organizational Unit, where delegates would be endorsed on Tuesday. Delegates chosen Tuesday for the BPOU can go on to the Clay County convention on Saturday, March 24, where delegates will be elected to move on to the seventh district convention as well as the state convention to be held in Duluth on June 1-2.

DFL delegates will be elected at the Clay County convention, which will be held on Feb. 24.

Jordan Idso attended Tuesday’s Republican caucus as he hopes to run for election as a Republican representative for District 4A against incumbent Ben Lien.

“All I want to do is serve it and make it better. Right now I think we’re lacking a voice,” Idso said.

An economics student, Idso ran in 2016 against Lien after watching the start of President Donald Trump’s campaign. Idso said he planned to just volunteer but when District 4A needed a candidate, he threw his name in the ring.

As an unknown candidate with a small budget, “we did pretty good,” Idso said. So, Tuesday, he began the process once again.