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MNA Endorses Erin Murphy for Governor
The MNA Board endorsed Rep. Erin Murphy for Governor after a recommendation by the nurses’ screening committee. Every gubernatorial candidate was invited to be screened. The candidates filled out a questionnaire, and then came to MNA to be interviewed by nurses. Murphy won the recommendation due to her work expanding healthcare access to Minnesotans, efforts to solve short staffing in hospitals, and because she was pivotal turning around the state’s budget from shortfall to surplus.
Murphy told the nurse selection committee of her vision for growth in Minnesota, expanding access to patient care for everyone in the state, support for nurse-to-patient ratios, Single Payer insurance, and Earned Safe and Sick Time for all workers in Minnesota. Nurses on the committee each assessed the candidates’ answers on a questionnaire and their individual interviews. They voted through a straw poll that gave Murphy the highest number of votes. The board members took that straw poll result into consideration along with nurses’ written assessments when they made their final vote for endorsement.
Read the press release here.
Did you attend caucuses?
Complete our post-caucus survey here.
Delegates & Alternates supporting Erin Murphy at their SD/County Convention: Find your convention Date/Time & Location Here.
If you were elected as a delegate or alternate, please contact our Political Organizer, Mark Privratsky as soon as possible by phone, email, or text as soon as possible. Nurses for Erin will be supporting you in the lead up to and during convention to ensure you have a successful and positive experience!
Mark Privratsky, Political Organizer
Mark.Privratsky@mnnurses.org (651) 252-5571
Resolutions
At caucuses around the state, nurses submitted resolutions for consideration and adoption by the DFL State Party. Read MNA’s Resolutions:
FINAL 2018 Safe Staffing Resolution
2018 Single Payer Healthcare for All Resolution
Freedom to Join Together in Strong Unions Resolution
If you have questions or need more information, you can visit your party’s website or contact MNA staff.
Katie Gjertson, Political Coordinator
Katie.Gjertson@mnnurses.org (651) 414-2832
Cameron Fure, Political Organizer
Cameron.Fure@mnnurses.org (651) 414-2843
Jackie O’Shea, Political Organizer
Jackie.O’Shea@mnnurses.org (651) 414-2857
Mark Privratsky, Political Organizer
Mark.Privratsky@mnnurses.org (651) 252-5571
Amanda Madison, Political Digital Organizer
Amanda.Madison@mnnurses.org (651) 252-5637
Who is Erin Murphy?
Murphy grew up in Janesville, Wisconsin, as part of an Irish union family. Her Dad worked many years in the General Motors plant there. She attended the University of Wisconsin-Osh Kosh and, later, the College of St. Catherine in St. Paul, MN. She became a Registered Nurse and got her start at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Marshfield, WI.
Murphy is married to Joe Faust, owner of a painting company, and they have twin daughters. One is studying water resource management at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and the other also studied nursing and works at Masonic Children’s Hospital in Minneapolis.
She started working for the Minnesota Nurses Association and rose to the level of Executive Director. She also teaches a nursing class at St. Kate’s. She decided to run for the Minnesota House to represent seat 64A in the Summit Hill neighborhood of Ramsey County. She was first seated as a state representative in January, 2007, and she rose to the position of House Majority Leader in 2012.
Murphy’s accomplishments include establishing MinnesotaCare, and she continues to fight for healthcare reform. Watch Murphy’s speech on the House floor from the 2016 Minnesota Legislative Session: https://youtu.be/HDsT1C_O29o
Murphy’s Values and Vision
“With my nursing practice rooted in advocacy, I know a healthy state is one in which all Minnesotans have access to a fantastic education, health care they can count on, and economic opportunity and jobs that allow them to support their families.” -Erin Murphy, MurphyforMN.com
Murphy cites building an ambitious education system, a healthcare infrastructure that works, an economy of the future, and a more inclusive state as building blocks of her vision for Minnesota. Read her position statements here: http://murphyformn.com/valuesissues/
Erin Murphy, RN
As a nurse, Murphy faced many of the same issues plaguing the profession today. She understands the need to solve the short staffing epidemic, and she has fought for safe staffing. See her describe her own staffing incident on the Minnesota House floor.
FAQ
Why can’t MNA endorse a Republican (too)?
MNA can endorse only one candidate, and nurses screened Democrats, Republicans, and one Independent in this last screening session. Murphy scored the highest of all the candidates, not just the Democrats, with her answers and experience.
Who decided to endorse Erin Murphy?
MNA opened the screening process to every nurse in the state of Minnesota, and each member was invited down to St. Paul on September 9 for the screening session. The committee that chose Murphy consisted of members from a wide range of facilities from all across Minnesota, and their recommendation went to the MNA Board. The Board has the ultimate vote on who to endorse.
What was the vote count?
The Board unanimously voted to endorse Erin Murphy for Minnesota Governor in 2018.
Doesn’t Erin Murphy’s history as MNA Executive Director give her an unfair advantage?
Murphy’s experience was considered along with the other candidates who also have helped MNA. MNA endorse Rep. Paul Thissen for his 2010 bid for Minnesota Governor, who is also running this year.
Why is MNA endorsing so early?
MNA has set a precedent of endorsing early, and both candidates and journalists now expect the nurses to start the process. The earlier the endorsement, the more clout it carries with candidates.
What was the endorsement process?
Each member was invited down to St. Paul on September 9 for the screening session. The committee that chose Murphy consisted of members from a wide range of facilities and demographic areas of the state, and their recommendation went to the MNA Board. The Board has the ultimate vote on who to endorse.
Why can’t MNA wait to endorse?
MNA could’ve waited until there are fewer candidates in the race or even after the nomination is made, but the longer an endorsement takes, the less importance it has with voters and the candidates.
Why is MNA involved in politics?
As a labor union and a healthcare advocacy organization, MNA’s mission is to improve patient care through all means. Nurses can do that through their contracts, and they can achieve that through the political process. Helping candidates also helps nurses as they are the lawmakers who vote on staffing, nursing practice, labor laws, violence prevention, and other key nurse issues.
Why are my dues being used to back political candidates?
They aren’t necessarily used to fund candidates or their campaigns. Each member must check off where they want part of their dues to go. The default category is the MNA Educational Foundation. Other choices include the MNA strike fund and the MNA Political Action Fund or the PAC. If a member isn’t sure where their dues are going, they can ask membership to look it up. By law, MNA cannot use dues for political purposes unless authorized by the member.
This is an independent expenditure in support of Erin Murphy for Governor, prepared and paid for by the Minnesota Nurses Association Political Committee (#30245), 345 Randolph Ave. #200, Saint Paul, MN 55102, and is not approved by any candidate.