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Friday, March 24, 2006
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Doty seeks House seat
Staff Writer Al Doty, who in 2004 lost his bid for the House District 12B seat as an Independence Party candidate, has announced he is again running for the seat in this year's election.
This time, however, he is seeking the DFL endorsement for the House District 12B seat.
Doty, 60, of Royalton, said he will ask delegates for their endorsement at the DFL Endorsing Convention on April 1.
A change of political party has not meant a change in philosophy, Doty said. As a senior advocate for the past five years he said he has listened to constituents who are fed up at empty promises offered by politicians. If elected, he said his primary focus will be affordable health care and property tax reform - two key issues that affect seniors living on fixed incomes.
"These are things I've worked with daily for the past five years, things that will only get solved at the Legislative level and I'm willing to put myself out there and see if people want me to go to work," Doty said in an interview. "There isn't a single statement I made two years ago running under the Independence Party banner that I would take back, feel bad about or not make this time around."
After losing the 2004 race for the House District 12B seat to Rep. Greg Blaine, R-Little Falls, Doty said he had no plans to re-enter the political arena until he was approached to do so by Bob Keeton, the DFL candidate who also lost to Blaine in the 2004 election.
This year, Keeton has said he will nominate Doty for the DFL endorsement.
"When Bob says, 'I think you should run,' well, then it's time to listen," Doty said. "I'm greatly honored by that statement. I have nothing but respect for how he conducted himself the last time around when we were on opposite sides."
House District 12 encompasses most of Morrison County and some precincts in Crow Wing County. Both counties have their conventions Saturday, where delegates are elected to the state convention and resolutions shaping the party platform are voted on. Doty will not be attending the county convention because he will be celebrating his father's 105th birthday.
"It would be hard to change because my father's schedule has been set for 105 years, which is a lot longer than most," Doty said with a chuckle.
Doty has served seniors in Morrison and Crow Wing counties as an advocate since 2001. Previously he was a teacher, wrestling coach and technology coordinator for 31 years with Pierz High School. He and his wife, Donna, live in Royalton. Doty grew up and worked on the family grain and beef farm near Campbell.
MATT ERICKSON can be reached at matt.erickson@brainerddispatch.com or 855-5857.
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