Lakeland PBS: MN Senate District 6 Candidate Denise Slipy Shares Her Platform with Voters at Forum

The Brainerd Lakes Chamber of Commerce, working with the League of Women Voters, held a forum last night to meet the candidates for next week’s state Senate District 6 special election.

Both candidates were invited to attend the event, but only DFL candidate Denise Slipy accepted the invitation. Chamber staff said Republican candidate Keri Heintzeman turned down the opportunity to focus on face-to-face interactions with prospective voters.

On Tuesday, District 6 residents filled in the Greater Lakes Association of Realtors building in Baxter to learn more about what platforms Slipy was running on.

“Most of you who know me know why I’m running. For those that do not know me, I am running to be your voice in St. Paul,” said Slipy to the audience at the forum. “I am not running to go to St. Paul, I’m running to take you with me to St. Paul.”

Slipy answered seven questions from Brainerd Lakes Chamber President Matt Kilian, as well as many questions that were submitted from members of the audience.

“My question to her would be, how do we handle the hostility and extremism that we’re seeing on both ends of the party and how would you temper those attitudes?” asked prospective voter Nicole Hardy. “Because she is a moderate and I would like to see what she has to say as a moderate.”

Some major themes on the night included affordable housing and affordable healthcare, with both topics drawing multiple audience questions.

“In order to attract new business startups, we have to have affordable housing, affordable childcare, and strong public schools,” Slipy responded. “The working class is overtaxed. Families are struggling, and this needs to be addressed. We have been ignored and underrepresented for basically a decade now, and that’s why so many of us are frustrated at government.”

For Slipy, the event provided a great opportunity for her to get her message out to voters.

“It’s amazing to see the support, that people are actually practicing democracy and coming out and wanting to get the views of the candidates,” she told Lakeland News after the event. “I’m disheartened that my opponent wasn’t here so that people could hear both sides. But, you know, there’s more that unites us than what divides us, and it was an honor and a privilege to be here tonight.”