'No strings attached,' says Independence candidate

By RON LARSEN

Journal Staff Writer

NEW ULM -- Independence Party candidates for U.S. Senate and secretary of state brought their campaigns to New Ulm Thursday during a swing through southwestern Minnesota.

Jim Moore is going up against incumbent Democrat Paul Wellstone and Republican Norm Coleman in the Senate race.

Dean Alger is one of three candidates attempting to displace incumbent Republican Mary Kiffmeyer.

Alger and Moore live in Minneapolis.

Moore readily admits he's at a financial disadvantage running in a Senate race that could well be the most expensive in Minnesota history.

"I think it will turn out to be an advantage because I believe that people are tired of the 'big-money' influence on political campaigns," Moore said.

He said that's why Independence Party members have a new way of greeting each other. It's a salute in which the hand moves on over the head.

"That's to show that there are no strings attached," Alger explained.

As a commercial banker for the past 14 years, Moore also is banking that average Minnesotans, particularly those in small- or medium-sized businesses, are "sick of politics as usual" and don't believe they have a voice in government.

"As a banker, I know how government policies affect people and the impact they have on small and mid-size businesses. It's the small and mid-size businesses that drive the economy and create jobs," Moore said.

He said eliminating the leverage that big campaign contributors wield, restoring fiscal responsibility to government operations, instituting corporate accountability and getting government to fully fund special education are major focuses of his campaign.

Although an advocate of free market economics, Moore said he is angered by corporate irresponsibility shown in the Enron, WorldCom and Xerox scandals.

"The system's not broken, but the credibility is not there right now," he said.

These scandals also expose the "big-money influence in politics," Moore said. "Gridlock like that experienced in Congress not being able to pass a Medicare prescription drug benefit package is not caused by politics. It's caused by the money behind it."

A political scientist and a public affairs consultant, Alger is betting his election analyses and his resulting election reformer image will connect with Minnesota voters looking for a change in the operation of the secretary of state's office.

"I've talked with local election officials throughout the state, and every one of them is tired of Kiffmeyer's intensely partisan way of running the office," Alger said.

A recent example, he said, was her handling of the DFL Party's desire to hold caucuses on a weekend in an attempt to get more participation.

"Even though there was a U.S. Supreme Court decision saying that political parties can govern their own activities, she insisted that their caucuses be held on Tuesday."

Alger said the fact that Kiffmeyer was following state law was not "relevant."

Dave Hutcheson of St. Joseph, the party's candidate for state auditor, was unable to make this campaign trip.