CROOKSTON - A Democratic Party official in northwest Minnesota may lose his political position over his decision to challenge the party’s endorsed candidate for a state House seat.
Erwin “Erv” Rud, of Fosston, Minn., was notified recently that the Polk County Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party board may remove him from his director position. Despite pledging to abide by the party’s endorsement convention, Rud chose to run against newspaper owner Mike Moore in the primary election for the District 1B House seat, the local party’s Chairman Frank Wirsing said.
Wirsing cited a section of the party’s bylaws that prohibits party officials from supporting a candidate running against a DFL-endorsed candidate in arguing Rud’s primary run constitutes malfeasance. He added allowing Rud to participate in meetings in which campaign strategy is discussed wouldn’t be “prudent.”
Rud announced in early June he would challenge Moore in the primary, citing low turnout at the convention and lack of “post-endorsement campaign activity” from Moore, who owns newspapers in Fosston and Hallock. The primary election is scheduled for Aug. 9.
District 1B is currently represented by Republican Deb Kiel of Crookston.
