The Minnesota Fraternal Order of Police made two big political endorsements last week.
On Thursday, the powerful group endorsed Republican Karin Housley for U.S. Senate in her race against incumbent Sen. Tina Smith (D-MN), appointed to succeed disgraced former Sen. Al Franken (D-MN), who resigned in January after allegations of inappropriate sexual conduct.
On Friday, they endorsed Republican Pete Stauber, the former Duluth police officer running for the open seat in Minnesota’s 8th Congressional District against Democrat nominee Joe Radinovich.
“The Minnesota Fraternal Order of Police proudly stands with Karin Housley in her race for U.S. Senate. In the state legislature, Karin has repeatedly demonstrated her commitment to public safety – and we know she will continue to be a friend of law enforcement in Washington,”Matt Hagen, president of the Minnesota Fraternal Order of Police, said in the statement released on Thursday.
“Karin Housley has shown leadership, empathy, and a willingness to listen to the concerns of the rank-and-file – and those are the qualities Minnesotans want in their next U.S. Senator,” Hagen added.
Housley expressed her appreciation for the endorsement.
“It’s a true honor to be endorsed by the Minnesota Fraternal Order of Police. The men and women of our law enforcement community work day and night to keep our communities safe, and they do it with honor and respect. They can count on me to have their backs . . . I will work with the Fraternal Order of Police, and law enforcement across the state, in our shared pursuit of public safety. Keeping Minnesota safe is an all-hands-on-deck effort,” Housley said in the statement.
The following day, the Minnesota Fraternal of Police weighed in on behalf of Stauber.
“The members of the MNFOP are honored to stand with Pete Stauber not because he spent 22 years as a cop in Duluth, but because he has a strong track record of public service spanning those two decades as a cop, city-councilman, county commissioner, and proven leader,” Minnesota Fraternal Order of Police President Hagen said in a statement.
“We are confident Pete will not only recognize, but respect the dedication and hard work of law enforcement officers who make our communities safe for all citizens throughout Minnesota. Also, his values align with those of our members and we are confident his work in Congress will dovetail with the legislative priorities of the MNFOP,” Hagen added.
Stauber had kind words for his former colleagues in blue.
“When I took an oath 23 years ago, I vowed to serve and protect the citizens in my community and it is an honor to receive the endorsement of the Fraternal Order of Police,” Stauber said in the statement.
“In Congress, I will ensure the men and women who have dedicated their lives to this noble service have the tools they need to keep our children, our families, our seniors, and all community residents safe,” he added.
The statement continued:
The Minnesota Fraternal Order of Police is comprised of current and retired law enforcement officers from across Minnesota. It is part of the Fraternal Order of Police Grand Lodge, which is the largest law enforcement organization in the United States with over 330,000 members. Its mission includes “endorsing and supporting ideas, issues, and projects which benefit the entire law enforcement profession…”
According to the most recent poll in each race, Housley trails Smith in the U.S. Senate race by 9 points, while Stauber and Radinovich are in a dead heat in the 8th Congressional District.
