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Tuesday, February 7, 2006
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Olson seeks Senate
Associate Editor PILLAGER - The temperature was a bracing minus 4 early Monday when Senate District 4 candidate Mary Olson and her husband pulled up with their snowmobile trailer at the Northwoods Cafe in Pillager.
The rural Bemidji attorney kicked off her candidacy Monday with a four-day, 21-stop snowmobile tour of the district, beginning in Pillager and scheduled to conclude Thursday in Bemidji. She chose the snowmobile tour to demonstrate how big District 4 is and to spotlight the district's scenery and recreational opportunities.
"And partly because it's fun for me," she said.
The tour will include stops at several coffee shops, bars and restaurants.
Olson, 47, and Irene Folstrom, 31, of Bemidji, are both seeking DFL endorsement for the District 4 Senate seat held by Sen. Carrie Ruud, R-Breezy Point. Both DFLers have said they would abide by the results of the endorsing convention.
Olson said Monday that health care and her own working knowledge of the system as an attorney will be one of the major points she'll emphasize during her campaign.
"Everyone knows it isn't working," she said of the health-care system.
She criticized "outrageous CEO salaries" as one factor that should be addressed when health-care solutions are sought.
Other issues she expects to address include education, economic development and the environment.
She called for bringing together hunters and anglers with conservationists and others interested in protecting the environment. Olson also called for a dedicated long-term funding mechanism for conservation.
Olson isn't impressed with the arguments that a constitutional amendment for dedicated conservation funds would tie the hands of future lawmakers.
"When it comes to protecting the environment the fact that it's not easy to change is a wonderful thing," she said.
Although she doesn't plan to focus on the issue, Olson said she is pro-life, a contrast to Folstrom, who is pro-choice. Too often divisions regarding this issue have distracted from other legislative work, according to Olson. The focus, Olson said, should be on preventing abortions through education and making birth control accessible. The attorney said she understands the health concerns raised by pro-choice proponents if women are forced to seek illegal abortions, but she continues to be pro-life.
"From my perspective, my heart tells me that's the right side of a very difficult issue," she said.
Pointing out her qualifications, Olson noted her training in negotiation and mediation as well as her experience representing people in the district as an attorney for about 20 years.
A graduate of the University of North Dakota Law School, Olson is a former captain in the U.S. Air Force, a former assistant Crow Wing County attorney and a former co-owner of Raboin and Aakhus Olson Law Office in Baxter. She has a solo practice in Bemidji and specializes in the areas of employment, discrimination and human rights laws.
She and her husband, John, have four adult children and one grandchild.
MIKE O'ROURKE can be reached at mike.orourke@brainerddispatch.com or 855-5860.
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