For immediate Release:

July 8, 2002

For further information call: 728-6928

Welty Files for House 7A seat

Saying that he intends to fill the void caused by recent legislative losses, Duluth School Board member Harry Welty filed for the Minnesota House of Representatives today as a Republican candidate for House District 7A.

Welty, who has represented the Duluth School Board’s Second District since 1995 is no stranger to legislative campaigns. He ran against Senator Doug Johnson two years ago and twice against Representative Mike Jaros in the 1970’s.  He noted that the recent deaths of Sam Solon and Willard Munger and the retirements of Bob Lessard and Doug Johnson have cost northeastern Minnesota 175 years of legislative experience. According to Welty the additional loss of a Duluth house seat because of redistricting makes it critical for Duluth to have a member of the likely majority party in the House of Representatives.

Welty predicts that Republicans will continue to control of the House of Representatives. That’s because the new legislative map was drawn up by the courts unlike the reapportionment plan ten years before. The current districts were drawn up exclusively by a Democrat controlled legislature for the good of Democrat candidates. Despite that advantage Republicans managed to wrest control of the House from the DFL two sessions ago.

A fiscal conservative who has fought to preserve the Duluth School District ’s fund reserve, Welty is considered a moderate on social issues. He says he intends to concentrate on public education and northeastern Minnesota ’s business and job climate if he is elected.

Welty, who stresses his centrist political views, hopes to follow in the footsteps of Jim Ulland, Jim Gustafson and Ben Boo, Republicans who represented Eastern Duluth in the legislature before the current incumbent Tom Huntley. Tonight the 7^th Senate District Republicans will hold an endorsement convention for the house seat. Welty has heard rumors of another Republican candidate but says he intends to run in the primary whether he wins the endorsement or not.

Welty, age 51, resides at 2101 E 4^th St. He is a former history teacher and stay-at-home Dad who is also well known for his winter snow sculptures. His wife Claudia is the Vice President for Information Technology at Minnesota Power. His Daughter, Keely, is a history major at Augsburg College in Minneapolis and his son Robb is a senior at Duluth East High School. Former State Senator Jim Gustafson and Harry’s school board colleague Mary Cameron are co-chairing the Welty campaign.

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Email Harry: harrywelty

Go to Harry's primary website:   www.snowbizz.com 

or make a contribution to the campaign

This Web page is prepared and paid for by Harry Welty, Welty Volunteer Committee, PO Box 3613, Duluth, MN  55803