Today we are continuing our profiles of our favorite Progressive candidates who are running to represent their communities at the state and federal levels, and move the country forward, to continue to ensure that all Americans are equally represented in government.

This week we are profiling Erin Maye Quade (she/her/hers), a former Minnesota State Representative currently running for Minnesota State Senate. A biracial LGBTQ millennial, she and her wife Alyse are active in Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor (DFL) politics. Erin focuses on a variety of important policy issues such as reproductive rights, health, and justice; gun safety (leading a 24-hour sit-in protest at the Minnesota House after the 2018 Stoneman Douglas High School shooting); and economic justice for all. At nine months pregnant, she went into labor while delivering a speech at the DFL party convention in April 2022; she later gave birth to daughter Harriet.

Where are you based?
Apple Valley, MN.

What is your position/what position are you running for?
Minnesota Senate District 56.

Why did you choose this seat?
I love my community and have spent my whole life here. After serving my district in the Minnesota House, I’m excited to bring my leadership and expertise to the Senate where I will advocate for policies based on the needs of people, not partisanship.

How would you briefly summarize your platform?
I’m running to continue being a champion for our community and to advocate for policies driven by the needs of people, not partisanship. From teacher shortages to attacks on reproductive rights to rising costs, we can come together to solve Minnesota’s toughest problems.

What inspired you to run?
In August 2019 I was reading the news where top headlines included massive wildfires, the continued pandemic, and an ever-growing worker pay gap. I had also just found out I was pregnant. I thought about a question my former boss and current Attorney General, Keith Ellison, had asked me back in 2015: “What are you going to do to change the system?” When he asked it back then, the answer was run for office and as I thought about it in 2019, I knew the answer was the same.

What change are you hoping to bring to your district, state, and country?
I want us to build a Minnesota where everyone can thrive. We can’t afford to tinker around the edges of big problems, we need to rethink our systems to ensure that they actually serve people.

How long have you been in office? What do you consider to be your major accomplishments so far?
I served in the Minnesota House from 2017-2019 where I successfully passed bills through a Republican-controlled legislature that expanded benefits for veterans and created opportunities for more Minnesotans to achieve homeownership. I am also tremendously proud of the work I did around gun violence prevention in 2018. After Republicans refused to hear any bills on the matter, I held a 24-hour sit in on the house floor to protest their inaction. Finally, my team and I at Gender Justice recenrtly won our lawsuit that removed all of Minnesota’s unconstitutional abortion restrictions.

What do you feel are the most important issues right now, why, and how do you plan to tackle them?
Our campaign is centered around the issues Minnesotans care about most. As a State Senator it will be my priority to build safe and healthy communities, lower the cost of goods and services, support public education, protect reproductive rights, and serve our veterans. Each of these issues have different solutions, but they all require us to be in deep partnership with others both inside and outside the Capitol. I hold a deep belief that elected officials should govern in coalition with their communities, relying on our partners and neighbors for expertise and advice. As a representative, I spent much of my time listening to and intentionally seeking the advice of organizations and constituents. Relationship building is a cornerstone when it comes to solving challenges in our state.

America is extremely divided these days. How would you hope to bridge that divide with your constituents to better unite Americans?
Our campaign is built around having face-to-face values based conversations with community members about the things that are most important. These conversations allow us to connect on a human level and see just how much we have in common. I am a strong advocate for prioritizing policies that are driven by the needs of people, not partisanship. As a State Senator, I will always center the needs of people and communities in my work.

How would you foresee your unique identity and background to be an asset to you in office?
If elected, I will be among the first Black women elected to the Minnesota Senate. Up until this point, every decision that we have made, every law and policy in the state of Minnesota, has been made without Black women involved. That is going to change. I will also be the first lesbian elected to the Minnesota Senate. My personal identities, alongside my professional experience as an organizer, policy professional, and coalition builder, will be an incredible asset in the Senate.

What is your motto in life?
“Joy is the antidote to despair.” There have been a lot of hard days for our community and our country over the last few years and many are feeling despair. Despair tells us that nothing will change so why try, but despair is a liar. I believe that we can create change. I refuse to give up.

Where can we find out more about you?
You can read more on my website www.ErinMayeQuade.com or by following me on social media! @ErinMayeQuade on Twitter and Instagram.

Our Favorite Progressive Candidates in 2022 - Erin Maye Quade, Minnesota State Senate District 56