I'm very pleased to share the news that I have been endorsed by the REALTOR® Issues Fund Committee, the political action committee of the St. Paul Area Association of REALTORS.

In the letter I received today, Government Affairs Director Patrick Ruble wrote, "Your understanding of the issues facing Maplewood, commitment to fiscal responsibility and desire for a transparent city government were critical factors in the committee's decision. We look forward to your success in the November general election."

The letter also noted that answers to the SPAAR's questionnaire are posted on their website, and that they "will be directing our members to this website to learn more about your positions on matters that REALTORS® care about." (If you're only interested in my answers, I have my completed questionnaire archived as a PDF you can download.)

I'm very proud to have this endorsement, and I am also pleased that this is another endorsement that Will Rossbach and I have both received. To me, this further demonstrates how it is apparent to concerned voters and stakeholders all across the political spectrum that both Will and I need to be victorious in November in order to put Maplewood on the right track.

Labels: campaign, endorsements

Posted by John Nephew at 10/06/2007 05:21:00 PM | Permalink | Comments

This past weekend, my campaign and Will Rossbach's campaign did a joint "lit drop" (volunteers delivering our literature to targeted voters' doors) all over the city. I think it's fair to say that we were both blown away by the number of volunteers who turned out to help, and I wanted to publicly thank them all. There is such a thirst for positive change in Maplewood -- people are tired of a regime that governs with the same kind of disregard for facts and reality that they use in campaigning. Our volunteers had the chance to witness that firsthand.

I'd also like to thank these elected officials who support my election campaign, and who all turned out to work with us last weekend: State Sen. Chuck Wiger, Ramsey County Commissioner Victoria Reinhardt, State Rep. Nora Slawik, and State Rep. Leon Lillie. They have all been sources of inspiration, advice, and encouragement, and I'm proud that they are campaigning on my behalf. If I am elected, I also look forward to working together with them and their respective governmental bodies on the issues important to Maplewood residents.

Labels: campaign, endorsements

Posted by John Nephew at 8/29/2007 09:40:00 AM | Permalink | Comments

One of my recent endorsements, as I wrote this past weekend, was from the St. Paul Building & Construction Trades Council. I have uploaded the questionnaire that I submitted to the Council, prior to my in-person screening, for anyone interested in reading it.

Labels: campaign, endorsements

Posted by John Nephew at 8/15/2007 09:04:00 AM | Permalink | Comments

I am pleased to announce that I am one of four candidates who have been endorsed by the Maplewood Voters' Coalition.

Four? you ask. Yep -- the MVC has taken an unusual approach, endorsing more candidates than there are seats available in the general election. Their intent is to endorse "all candidates we judge to meet our standards for public office: a respect for process, reliance on professionalism, and a commitment to public service rather than a personal agenda" (to quote the endorsing letter from Endorsement Committee Chair Deb Birkholz and MVC Chair Robert Schmidt).

I am pleased that this group of citizens has come together to work for better local government, and it is an honor to have the MVC endorsement.

On a personal note, Michelle and I live in western Maplewood, which is part of the Roseville school district, so we have school board elections this year as well. I am pleased that the MVC is endorsing in that race as well, and I look forward to reading their evaluations of those candidates.

Labels: campaign, endorsements

Posted by John Nephew at 8/13/2007 09:31:00 AM | Permalink | Comments

Michelle and I just got home from a picnic, and found some good news in today's mail: I have been officially endorsed by the St Paul Building & Construction Trades Council!

Labels: campaign, endorsements

Posted by John Nephew at 8/11/2007 03:45:00 PM | Permalink | Comments

Today I have uploaded the questionnaire I filled out when seeking the Maplewood DFL's endorsement. Questionnaires from the candidates seeking endorsement were printed and provided to all of the delegates who attended the convention.

Labels: campaign, endorsements

Posted by John Nephew at 8/03/2007 01:24:00 PM | Permalink | Comments

Today I have uploaded another endorsement screening questionnaire. Today's is from the Saint Paul Area Trades & Labor Assembly. I'm very proud to have earned their approval, and to have the right to print "Labor Endorsed" on my lawn signs.

Labels: campaign, endorsements

Posted by John Nephew at 7/31/2007 12:02:00 PM | Permalink | Comments

The first endorsement I received in this race was from the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees. I have now uploaded a PDF of the questionnaire I completed for AFSCME as part of their screening process.

Labels: campaign, endorsements

Posted by John Nephew at 7/29/2007 10:32:00 AM | Permalink | Comments

Last night the Maplewood DFL Endorsing Convention was held at the library. All candidates who have filed for office were invited to nominate themselves for endorsement; five of us did so. I'm honored to share the news that I (along with Will Rossbach) received the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party endorsement for Maplewood City Council.

Many thanks to the delegates who turned out for this historic meeting and cast their votes. Thanks also to my fellow candidates who participated in the process, voiced their concerns about Maplewood today, and expressed their ideas and hopes for its future. If there's a silver lining to the troubles Maplewood has endured over the past two years, it's that a new generation of citizens has been inspired to get involved and commit themselves to the public good.

Maplewood Voices has a short article about the convention today.

Update: Here's a picture of Michelle and me at the convention, taken on her phone.

Labels: campaign, endorsements

Posted by John Nephew at 7/26/2007 01:59:00 PM | Permalink | Comments

I recently received some great news from Gia Vitali, the Minnesota Political Director of Progressive Majority, telling me that I now have their official endorsement.

In case you aren't familiar with Progressive Majority, they are an organization devoted to recruiting and coaching progressive candidates at the local and state level — cultivating a new generation of political leaders, if you will. This is their first year working in Minnesota. As a first-time candidate preparing to run for office, I have found them to be a tremendously valuable resource. I am proud to have their endorsement and their continuing support.

Labels: campaign, endorsements

Posted by John Nephew at 7/25/2007 01:04:00 PM | Permalink

This morning I received a phone call with great news. The board of the St Paul Area Trades & Labor Assembly met last night, and decided to endorse me (and Will Rossbach) for Maplewood City Council. I'm tremendously proud to have the support of organized labor.

Labels: campaign, endorsements

Posted by John Nephew at 7/12/2007 10:07:00 AM | Permalink

Earlier this week, I wrote about receiving AFSCME's endorsement for my city council race. I wanted to take a moment to talk about another kind of endorsement I've been getting, which means a great deal to me — the unsolicited public endorsements of friends and colleagues from my professional life as a publisher and writer. Nicole Lindroos, Matt Forbeck, and Ryan Dancey have each known me for ten to twenty years, and have been my competitors as well as collaborators at various times. At the risk of appearing immodest, here are some excerpts from their blogs commenting on my run for office.

Nicole Lindroos, general manager of Green Ronin Publishing: "It is precisely this incisiveness, this shrewd understanding of fiscal responsibilities and unflinching willingness to go to the guts of a problem that has made John such a formidable businessman. He would be an excellent asset to any board of directors, advisory committee, or council."

Matt Forbeck, game designer and novelist: "While I know next to nothing about Maplewood, I know John, and he’s just the kind of candidate any city needs. I’ve counted John as a good friend for years, and I’d trust him with both my checkbook and my kids, much less helping run a city in which he and his wife Michelle live."

Ryan Dancey, business consultant and former brand manager at Wizards of the Coast: "I suspect that John’s politics, at least on the big issues, and mine, are quite different . . . On the other hand, I know him to be absolutely honest, rigorously logical, and compassionate. On that basis alone I would support him for any office he might seek to hold."

I've always tried to run my business in a responsible and ethical manner. It's humbling to see people who have known me for such lengths of time give me a positive grade, and then some. Now my job is to earn such confidence from the voters of Maplewood.

Labels: biography, campaign, endorsements

Posted by John Nephew at 7/04/2007 11:54:00 AM | Permalink | Comments

I'm very pleased to report that I've been endorsed by AFSCME Council 5, the Minnesota branch of the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees.

Getting an endorsement first involves filling out a written questionnaire. Then you go in front of a screening committee, whose members grill you with questions ("What is your name? What is your quest? What is the airspeed velocity of a unladen swallow?" etc.). Never having been screened for endorsement before, I of course had my worries about being cast into the Gorge of Eternal Peril if I didn't know the right answers, but my fears were entirely unfounded. In fact, I enjoyed the experience.

AFSCME is the union that represents most employees of the city of Maplewood. Its members are in a position to be especially well informed about what's been going wrong in Maplewood, and motivated to help fix it. Repairing the damage that has been done to Maplewood will require a strong and positive collaboration between the council and city employees, AFSCME members and otherwise. Thus I was eager to meet with AFSCME, and I am proud and excited to have their support for my candidacy.

Labels: campaign, endorsements

Posted by John Nephew at 6/29/2007 11:48:00 AM | Permalink | Comments