(Mankato, Rochester & Winona, Minnesota) – Today, Tim Walz and a team of volunteers started a grassroots conversation with voters in southern Minnesota about the issues that matter the most, such as the economy, health care, veterans’ benefits, and restoring transparency and accountability in government.  The campaign Saturday went door-to-door and made phone calls in Mankato, Rochester and Winona, talking to an estimated 5,000 voters.

“In 2006, I ran for Congress to change the priorities in Washington and put the public good over narrow special interests,” said Walz, a 24-year veteran of the Army National Guard. “This year we will build the largest grassroots campaign in the history of the First District.  It will be people powered and focused on building a better future.” 

A record number of people turned out for the Minnesota DFL precinct caucuses on February 5, 2008, demonstrating just how supportive the public is for continuing to change the way Washington works.  Tim Walz has held more than 30 house parties and signed up more than 2,000 volunteers to work on his campaign.  Walz has received donations from 3,000 individual contributors from Southern Minnesota and had already raised $1,151,000 by the end of last year.

“As a public school teacher, I understand the challenges that middle-class families face, and that’s why I am working to create more jobs, help family farmers, promote energy independence, improve education and balance the budget,” Walz concluded.  “We believe that we’ve got to make health care more affordable and accessible.  It won’t be easy, but to really change health care we going to have to change Washington.” 

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