*The Messenger does not endorse any candidate, only to inform the readers of the choices on the ballot for these offices.
The Minnesota House of Representative candidates for District 19A are Keith Allen of Wanamingo and Jessica Navarro of Faribault. They re running to replace retiring Brian Daniels. District 19A includes four townships in Goodhue County, Wanamingo township, Cherry Grove Township, Kenyon township and Holden township, eight townships in Rice county and four townships in Waseca county.
Keith and his wife Morgan have lived and farmed in the Wanamingo area for twenty years. Keith was born and raised on a farm near Eyota, Minnesota. They have two children. The Allens raise corn and soybeans as well as milk dairy goats. They sell caramel from the goats milk online and at local shows. Keith also sells seed corn and soybean seed as well as serving as a crop consultant. Morgan is a nutritionist for a company that makes animal milk replacer.
Keith received a bachelor of science from the University of Minnesota. He was a member of the Minnesota Agriculture and Rural Leadership Class 8, he has served on the Minnesota Farm Bureau board of directors, Goodhue Board of Adjustment, Dale Lutheran Church Board President and is the Cherry Grove township supervisor. He is a member of the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) and the NRA as well as a longtime member of the Goodhue County Republican Party.
Keith was inspired to run as a Republican for the office because of what he saw happening with the economy to businesses and taxes from what the DFL leadership has done in the state. The DFL controlled state has spent an $18 billion surplus and proceeded to raise taxes. The direction the state is headed is unsustainable. He believes the politicians at the capitol in St. Paul are not listening to the people. The increasing taxes are causing senior citizens and businesses to move out of state. The state mandates have resulted in the school boards to not listen to their constituents as well.
His priorities if elected will be to eliminate Minnesota state social security taxes on senior’s retirement incomes. He will also work to equalize K-12 education funding for rural school districts. He will work to cut back and scrap mandates to schools and give the dollars back to school districts to be independent and allow teachers to teach the basics to students.
Keith grew up in southern Minnesota with strong work ethic, great sense of community and strong school system, all which are important to the fabric of America. He wants to use his leadership skills to give back to the good people of this state.
Jessica Navarro is the DFL candidate for House District 19A. She did not respond to our request for an interview. According to her website she was born in New York. She lives in Faribault with her two children. They moved to the area in the late 1990’s to work for the Jennie-O-Turkey store. She has a bachelors degree in social work from MSU/Mankato and is employed by a non-profit connecting families to local resources and services.
Her priorities are affordable and accessible healthcare, affordable and accessible childcare and affordable and accessible housing. She sees public service as a means to address social issues and improve people’s lives while creating positive change.
