Hodges’ Mayoral Re-election Campaign Focuses on Trump: Why?

A speech delivered Monday night by Minneapolis Mayor Betsy Hodges proved once again her re-election campaign is focused on President Donald Trump. She mentioned his name 58 times in her “special mayoral address.” The Star Tribune reported only 90 people in attendance. 

According to the Strib, the speech titled “One Minneapolis in the Time of Trump” was another effort by Mayor Hodges to “position herself as the city’s chief Trump resister.” But Trump isn’t running for mayor. And Hodges’ actual opponents called her out for focusing more on him than the issues plaguing Minneapolis residents. 

“Trump’s actions in Washington are obviously a concern, however he’s not the greatest threat to the future vitality of our city,” said [Nekima] Levy-Pounds, a lawyer and civil rights activist running against Hodges. “We still have myriad racial disparities in our city, and those were present before Trump.”

Tim Hoch [also running against Hodges]… said he is no fan of Trump, but “railing against an unpopular president was not a viable strategy to move our city forward in December and it still isn’t in April.”

Hodges mentioned the president six times during her re-election campaign announcement in December 2016.

“We know that progressive cities like Minneapolis, and those of us who love them and tend to them, will be under attack under President Trump.”

“These times require a mayor who has a big, progressive vision and plays long. These times require a mayor who can continue to lead the way toward making Minneapolis a shining beacon of progressive light and accomplishment in a time of authoritarian darkness.”

Minneapolis has been a liberal-run city since 1978. Plenty of time to prove a “progressive vision” can bring about “light and accomplishment.” But liberal policies have only turned the Mini Apple into the Left’s bad apple.

Perhaps this obsessive focus on Trump is a distraction. A way to minimize the inability of liberal leadership to fix the city’s problems. It’s easy to vocally oppose someone. But as we all know, actions speak louder than words.