Ole Balances Student, Campaigning roles & Window Cleaning

At 7 p.m. on Halloween, Ole Hovde and his two man crew drew little attention as they walked into Comstock Hall. Their armloads of fliers and political visitors’ nametags were minor fashion accents compared with the residents’ elaborate costumes.
His volunteers slid fliers under doors while Hovde tried to convince his fellow students that it was OK to vote for someone with an “R” after their name on the ballot. He spoke of his liberal social policies and desire to freeze tuition, attributing his Republican endorsement to his conservative financial policies.
Most students were curious about a fellow student running for office — “You haven’t even graduated yet; how are you going to write a bill?” one student asked. Hovde said he would take his ideas for bills to the same lawyers at the capitol who draft bills for other Representatives.
Taking 15 credits while running his window-washing business and campaigning has been cutting into his sleep and exercise time, he said, though his class attendance has actually improved this semester.
His pickup truck, filled with boxes of fliers, empty 5-Hour Energy bottles, and fast food wrappers shows the frantic pace his candidacy has brought to his life.
As of Oct. 20, Hovde had raised just under $12,000 to fund his campaign, $4,190 of which came from a state subsidy given to all House candidates who agree to follow campaign finance guidelines.
He also raised nearly $7,485 in individual contributions. Of that, $4,450 was itemized, and $2,150 came from people whose last names were Hovde.
Hovde said he refused to talk to any of the special interest groups that approached him, because he wanted to serve the people of District 59B, and not special interests.
His opponent, 36-year incumbent Phyllis Kahn, has raised considerably more money, at $26,422. Of that money, $5,350 came from various political action committees including Education Minnesota, the Minneapolis Police Relief Association , and Minneapolis Fire Department Relief Association .
Volunteer support for his campaign has come from a group of about five core people, Hovde said.
“They’ve done more for me than I could ever have asked,” Hovde said.
Hovde made the decision to run a year ago when he was interning at the state capitol, he said. He read up on Kahn, and decided District 59B needed a change.
Quick to acknowledge Kahn’s intelligence and education, Hovde said he felt compelled to run because she wasn’t doing enough to fight for students.
“My tuition has gone up $2,400 while I’ve been a student, and she hasn’t done anything to stop that,” he said.

State Representative Ole - Does Windows

Above picture: Moderators signal time left at the debate between State Representative candidates Ole Hovde, Phyllis Kahn, and Ron Lischeid at Willey Hall on Monday evening. The debate was hosted by the Minnesota Republic and will be the only debate between these candidates before the election. In their first and only debate of the election, candidates for Minnesota House District 59B sparred Monday night at Willey Hall.
Fielding questions from the moderator and the audience, challengers Ole Hovde and Ron Lischeid fought to gain a foothold against 18-term Rep. Phyllis KahnHovde, the Republican candidate and University of Minnesota senior, advocated for fewer taxes and less spending throughout the debate. On tuition, Hovde said he would seek a tuition freeze and seek to work with the Board of Regents to determine University funding priorities. “What’s going to cut tuition costs are tuition freezes,” he said. Rep. Kahn, DFL-Minneapolis, touted work-study programs as the best way to cut costs for students, while Independence Party candidate Lischeid advocated for a system in which Minnesotans use their state income tax to pay off their student debt. Kahn and Hovde also disagreed on how to promote small business growth in the state. “One of the things that I think is most important,” Kahn said, “is the idea of the educated workforce.” Hovde, who runs a window washing business, took offense to the comment, and called for lower taxes on businesses. “Promoting business and job growth is not by new taxes,” he said. “Small businesses drive Minnesota. Small businesses need to thrive.”

Hovde for state House: The Minnesota Legislature is divided into 134 districts, more than many other states in the country. District 59B surrounds the University of Minnesota, which has been represented by Brooklyn, New York native Phyllis Kahn since 1972. She has voted for more tax increases than almost anyone to sit in the House with her during her entire career. She has spent her time writing bills allowing fourth graders to vote. She has even been convicted of violating campaign laws. The people of our district (mostly college students) deserve a new voice to represent our needs and views at the capitol in St. Paul. There is no better person for the job than University student Ole Hovde.
Ole is a Minnesota resident pursuing a degree in political science at the University. He owns a small business (a window washing company) and has been active in politics for many years. I personally worked with Ole in the House of Representatives when we interned together during a session. He has the temperament and background to make a great representative for the 36,000-plus residents that reside in this district.

Ole Hovde below, "Does Windows" a member of the Master Window Cleaners of America.

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