John Edwards-Campaign Organization, Minnesota
Edwards for President, Inc.
On January 2, 2003, Sen. Edwards announced formation of a presidential exploratory committee.  Edwards for President, Inc. is headquartered in Raleigh, North Carolina.  Nick Baldick, a former top Gore operative, is the campaign manager. 
Edwards-MN


Edwards for President, Inc. Minnesota Leadership

Campaign Headquarters: 1951 University Avenue, St. Paul
State Director Tom Ziemba
(announced Feb. 20, 2004) Served as chief of staff for the Edwards campaign in New Hampshire, after which he helped manage the final weeks of Senator Edwards's campaign in Virginia.  He is a veteran of the Clinton administration, was director of business development at America Online and managed a consulting firm in Washington, DC prior to joining the Edwards campaign.  During his career he has held a variety of positions on national, state and local campaigns, including Chris Dodd's 1992 Senate race in Connecticut and state senate races across the northeast.
 
 
Political Director Julie Hottinger
(announced Feb. 20, 2004) A Minnesota native, Hottinger has more than six years of experience campaigning in the North Star State.  She has served as research and field director for Janet Robert's 2002 campaign for Congress, finance director for Steve Kelly's 2000 Senate run, and field director for Tracy Beckman's congressional campaign in 1998.  From 2000 to 2002, Hottinger served as director of party affairs for the Minnesota DFL.  Most recently, she managed Olin Moore campaign for Minneapolis City Council. 
 
 
Field Director Bill Hyers
(announced Feb. 20, 2004) After graduating from St. Cloud State with high honors, Hyers worked for R.T Rybak's upset of the two-term incumbent mayor in 2001. He then worked on Judi Dutcher's run for governor, as a regional director on the State House Caucus race in 2002, on the Rebecca Otto state house special election, and on Don Samuels for City Council special election. Hyers most recently served as Edwards' central Iowa field director and Wisconsin state field director.

Field Staff include:  Jessie Bradley, David Cooling, Mike Edwards, Jessie Harris, Micah Kagan, and David Kieve, all of whom worked in Edwards' Iowa campaign and in subsequent primaries across the country.
 
 
Press Secretary Carlos Monje
(announced Feb. 20, 2004) Monje has served as Edwards's deputy press secretary since 2001, first in Edwards' Washington DC Senate office, then in his national campaign headquarters in Raleigh.  Monje has traveled with Edwards across the country during the campaign, and served as his New Mexico press secretary.  Monje previously worked at a major public relations firm in New York City.
 
 
State Chairman Minneapolis City Councilman Scott Benson
(announced Feb. 20, 2004) Minneapolis attorney; has been supporting dwards for more than a year and has directed political and volunteer outreach in Minnesota. 
 

Endorsements
announced Feb. 29, 2004
 State Senator Ellen Anderson, St. Paul 
 State Senator Scott Dibble, Minneapolis     -formerly supported Dean
 State Senator John Hottinger, St. Peter 
 State Representative Loren Solberg, Grand Rapids 
 8th Congressional District DFL Chair, Kerry Gauthier    -formerly supported Dean

On the evening of Feb. 26, 2004 more than a hundred volunteers and leaders of Minnesota for Dean, including Ted Mondale, met in St. Paul.  Following a forum with representatives from the Edwards, Kerry and Kucinich campaigns, two-thirds of the members in attendance voted to recommend that Dean supporters vote for Edwards in the caucus.

announced Feb. 26, 2004
Duluth Mayor Herb Bergson

announced Feb. 25, 2004

  • State Senator Becky Lourey, Kerrick     -formerly supported Dean
  • State Representative Frank Hornstein, Minneapolis     -formerly supported Dean
  • State Representative Tony Sertich, Chisholm 
  • State Representative Jean Wagenius, Minneapolis 
  • Minneapolis City Council President Paul Ostrow 
  • Duluth School Board Member Mike Akervik 
  • Hastings City Council Member Danna Elling 
  • St Paul School Board Member Al Ortwig 
  • Duluth City Council Member Roger Reinert 
  • Minneapolis City Council Member Don Samuels 
  • Detroit Lakes School Board Member Ruth Solie 
  • Duluth City Council Member Russ Stover

  • announced Feb. 18, 2004

  • State Senator Thomas Bakk, Cook
  • State Senator Sandy Pappas, St. Paul
  • State Senator Jane Ranum, Bloomington, Richfield and Minneapolis
  • State Senator Dan Sparks, Austin
  • State Representative Aaron Peterson, Madison
  • State Representative Paul Thissen, Minneapolis and Richfield
  • Duluth City Council Member Donny Ness
  • Minneapolis City Council Member Scott Benson

  • Duluth Budgeteer News (Minnesota's largest weekly)   Feb. 24, 2004

    Ryan Winkler  -- an attorney at the Minneapolis law firm Smith Parker. 

    Copyright © 2003, 2004  Eric M. Appleman/Democracy in Action