Steven Booth from Gonvick has thrown his hat into the ring seeking the Senate Dist. 2 seat currently held by Rod Skoe (DFL) of Clearbrook.
The Republican Party is expected to endorse his candidacy in the next couple of weeks. This will be a rematch of the 2002 election, in which Skoe won the election over Booth.
Booth says that "after four years of Skoe's representation of Dist. 2, I believe the folks in northwest and north central Minnesota are ready for someone who will stand up for our way of life - God, family, country and community."
Booth said his background is ideally suited to understand and represent the concerns of Dist. 2. He was raised on a farm near Tracy, where he graduated from high school in 1970, and went on to graduate from college in 1975.
He has had a varied career, as a salesman, farmer, teacher, coach and police officer, and served in the US Marine Corps. He retired from the Marine Corps at the rank of major, and was subsequently a personnel director for a company of 350 employees, started, owned and managed his own small business (CBS Fitness in Bemidji) and was elected twice as a Beltrami County Commissioner.
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In 2004, Booth volunteered and went to Iraq as a dog handler used for detection of explosives. Since his return he has been working on a sod farm and managing his own farm.
Booth has been married to his wife, Jerri Ann, for 33 years.
Booth said his Christian faith and his family are very important, as shown by his comments regarding his desire for an electoral rematch. "The most important reason I am running again is that Jerri Ann and I have prayed about this and feel it is the Lord's will," he said. "The second reason is that we believe families and communities are under attack like at no other time, and we have two married children and three grandchildren, and we want them to have the same opportunities we have enjoyed."
Booth also said he is looking forward to this year's senate campaign. He is committed to getting out into the community and listening to the voters' concerns.
